Outdoor Lighting in San Antonio, TX

If you live in San Antonio or are thinking about moving there, outdoor lighting are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. San Antonio has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of outdoor lighting, and some of them might surprise you.

Light Trespass & Shielding

San Antonio's Unified Development Code requires outdoor lighting for signs, parking, and other uses to be arranged so the light source is concealed from adjacent residential properties. Fixtures on residential property that produce any measurable foot-candles at the property line must be full cutoff, blocking light output above 90 degrees. Parking and loading area lights face height caps tied to how sharply they cut off glare.

Key details: Governing section: UDC Sec. 35-392(a)-(d). Trigger: Any foot-candles measured at residential property line. Fixture standard: Full cutoff, no output above 90 degrees. Parking light height, steep cutoff: 30 feet maximum. Parking light height, wide cutoff: 15 feet maximum.

A light-trespass violation is a Class C misdemeanor zoning offense under Sec. 35-491(c)(2): fines run $100 to $2,000 per offense, rising to a $200 minimum for a second conviction and $300 minimum for a third and each later conviction. Each day the noncompliant fixture stays lit is a separate offense, and the city may also pursue a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day through the Development Services Department instead of, or alongside, criminal citation.

Billboard Lighting

San Antonio caps digital sign brightness at 7,000 nits by day and 2,500 nits at night for full color displays, with lower ceilings for red, green and amber. Sec. 28-43 covers on-premise and off-premise signs alike, requires a dimmer and photocell, and holds spill light to 0.3 footcandles over ambient, measured 100 to 250 feet out depending on sign size.

Key details: Full color ceiling: 7000 nits daytime, 2500 nits nighttime. Red only ceiling: 3150 nits daytime, 1125 nits nighttime. Spill light limit: 0.3 footcandles over ambient light. Residential property line limit: 0.2 footcandles from an adjacent digital sign. Required equipment: Dimmer control and photocell on every digital sign.

Under Sec. 28-9, failing to comply with Chapter 28 is a violation of the City Code, and each day a violation exists is a separate offense. A conviction is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.00. The city can also pursue administrative hearings under Chapter 20, Article II, or civil actions under Local Government Code Chapter 54. Sec. 28-9 states that a sign made nonconforming by lowered light levels must still be brought into compliance.

This is one of the stricter rules in San Antonio's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Dark Sky Rules

San Antonio requires full-cutoff fixtures on residential lighting that reaches the property line, and caps parking-lot light poles at 15 to 30 feet depending on the fixture's cutoff angle, under UDC Sec. 35-392. Every light source must be shielded so its output stays off adjacent residential land and out of traffic.

Key details: Residential fixture standard: Full cutoff, 0+ foot-candles at property line. Pole height, cutoff angle <90°: Max 30 feet. Pole height, cutoff angle 90°+: Max 15 feet. Cutoff definition: No light output above 90° lateral angle. Governing section: UDC Sec. 35-392, Illumination of Uses.

Installing unshielded lighting that spills onto a neighboring residential lot, or a parking-lot fixture that exceeds the height allowed for its cutoff angle, violates Sec. 35-392 and is enforced as an Article III zoning violation under Sec. 35-491(c)(2): a $100 to $2,000 criminal fine per day, rising to $200 on a second conviction and $300 on later ones, plus a possible civil penalty up to $1,000 per day.

The Bottom Line

San Antonio's outdoor lighting rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming San Antonio is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects San Antonio's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.