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This paper investigates the performance of seven methods of retrieving the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) from lidar measurements carried out in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP) during two MCITY - BRAZIL field campaigns of 2013. The performance is objectively assessed considering as reference the PBLH retrieved from rawinsonde carried out every 3 h during these campaigns. The role of clouds and aerosol load in the performance of the seven methods is analysed considering three case study scenarios representative of typical atmospheric conditions in the MRSP : (a) winter clean atmosphere, (b) summer low clouds and aerosol multilayers, (c) summer sea-breeze intrusion. Corroborating the case study results, the objective analysis indicated that most of the lidar methods retrieved PBLH closer to the top of the entrainment zone than the mixed layer, contradicting their definition. During daytime, the Wavelet Covariance Transform Method performs better than all the other six methods. The Inflexion Point Method performed better to estimate the Residual Layer height during night-time. In average, the diurnal evolution of the PBLH and its local rate of change based on lidar and rawinsonde measurements are in agreement. • Most analysed lidar methods estimate the Entrainment Zone height. • Sea-breeze can reduce the aerosol concentration in the Residual Layer. • The Wavelet Covariance Transform has the best result among the analysed methods. • Lidar methods require an adaptation to the local climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]