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.

Billboard Lighting

San Antonio caps how bright a digital sign or billboard can glow under Code of Ordinances Sec. 28-43: full-color displays can't exceed 7,000 nits by day or 2,500 nits at night, with lower ceilings for single-color reds, greens, and ambers. Every digital display also needs a dimmer and photocell, and light reaching the nearest home can't exceed 0.2 footcandles.

Key details: Full-color cap: 7,000 nits day, 2,500 nits night. Red-only cap: 3,150 nits day, 1,125 nits night. Ambient limit: 0.3 footcandles over ambient light. Residential limit: 0.2 footcandles at nearest home. Required hardware: Dimmer control and automatic photocell.

A digital display exceeding the NITS or footcandle ceilings, running without a required dimmer and photocell, or resembling a traffic signal violates Chapter 28 and is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $500 under Sec. 28-9, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense; the director can also pursue administrative and civil penalties, including compelled repair or removal of the sign.

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.

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.