Nye County, Nevada solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 1,000 ft from property lines, 25 ft maximum height, 45 dBA (greater of 45 decibels or 5 decibels above ambient) noise limit. Wind: 1.5 × height from homes, 1.5 × height from roads. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read September 29, 2026.
Updated September 2026
Solar rules
6 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackNo solar panel may be located less than One Hundred (1000) feet from any Non-Participating landowner property line. | 1,000 ft |
Setback from residentially zoned propertyNo solar panel shall be located less then than One Half (.5) mile from a residentially zoned property. | 0.5 miles |
Maximum heightNo solar panel may exceed 25' in height at its highest extended rotation. | 25 ft |
Fence heightAll solar panels and accessory buildings for the project must be fenced in with a fence not less than 8 feet in height. | 8 ft |
Noise limitgreater of 45 decibels or 5 decibels above ambientfor a period of more than 10% out of every hour, the audible A-weighted sound pressure levels as a result of the sound emitted by the project shall not exceed either, the greater of 45 decibels or, 5 decibels above the Ambient Baseline Sound Pressure Level of the project. | 45 dBA |
Decommissioning bondthe Applicant shall secure and provide to the BOCC a performance bond, surety bond, letter of credit, or other form of financial assurance that is acceptable to the BOCC (the “ Decommissioning Security”) equal to 125% of the estimated cost of decommissioning the project | 125% |
Source: Nye County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
8 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackgreater of 2.5 times height or manufacturer recommended setbackNo WECS Tower may be located less than the greater of (a) 2.5 times the height of the WECS Tower including the blade at its highest point or (b) the manufacturer's recommended setback as determined by a blade throw study performed and certified by a professional engineer to any Non-Participating landowner property line | 2.5 × height |
Setback from homesNo WECS Tower or permanent Meteorological Towers may be located less than 1.5 times the height of the WECS Tower including the blade at its highest point to any residential structure inside or outside the project boundaries. | 1.5 × height |
Road setbackNo WECS Tower may be located less than 1.5 times the height of the WECS Tower to a dedicated roadway, railroad right-of-way, overhead electrical transmission or distribution lines. | 1.5 × height |
Setback from municipal boundary lineAny WECS project proposed shall not have a project boundary closer than one mile to any municipal boundary line | 1 mile |
Setback from public, private, or parochial school property boundary lineor closer than two miles to any public, private, or parochial school property boundary line. | 2 miles |
Fence heightfences with locking portals at least eight feet high | 8 ft |
Noise limitgreater of 45 decibels or 5 decibels above ambient at critical wind speedsthe audible A-weighted sound pressure levels as a result of the sound emitted by the project shall not exceed either, the greater of 45 decibels or, 5 decibels above the Ambient Baseline Sound Pressure Level of the project at Critical Wind Speeds. | 45 dBA |
Decommissioning bondthe Applicant shall secure and provide to the BOCC a performance bond, surety bond, letter of credit, or other form of financial assurance that is acceptable to the BOCC (the “Decommissioning Security”) equal to 125% of the estimated cost of decommissioning the project | 125% |
Source: Nye County ordinance (PDF), read September 29, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Nevada state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All Nevada rules and counties.
State siting: Public Utilities Commission of Nevada
Renewable projects larger than 70 MW need a permit from the Public Utilities Commission.
NRS 704.860, 704.865 (DOE and Berkeley Lab inventory, June 2024). Source
Every Nevada figure in one spreadsheet
53 figures from 4 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 1 of those places is not on this site. Plus Nevada state law.
How these figures were read
We found Nye County's own ordinance and had two AI models read it separately. A figure is shown only when both read the same number and the sentence it comes from was found in the document. Moratoria and bans are checked against the adopting document. Ordinances change and many figures apply only in some cases, so check the cited section with the county before relying on one.
Common questions
What are the solar setbacks in Nye County, NV?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 1,000 ft from property lines. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Nye County, NV?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 25 ft. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Nye County, NV?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 2.5 × height (greater of 2.5 times height or manufacturer recommended setback) from property lines, 1.5 × height from homes and 1.5 × height from roads. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.