Outdoor Lighting in Austin, TX (2026)
2 verified outdoor lighting rules for Austin, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Austin's Outdoor Lighting Code (Land Development Code §25-2) requires fully-shielded fixtures and caps color temperature at 3000K on new installations. The code aligns with Texas HB 916 and surrounding Hill Country dark-sky reserves protecting McDonald Observatory. Non-essential commercial lighting must dim or extinguish by 11:00 PM.
Austin Outdoor Lighting Code & McDonald Observatory
Some RestrictionsLight Trespass
Austin's outdoor lighting regulations in Title 25 address light trespass by requiring shielded, full-cutoff fixtures that direct light downward and away from adjacent properties. The Land Development Code sets maximum illumination levels at property lines for commercial and multifamily development. Residential complaints about light trespass from commercial properties can be filed through Austin Code Department or 311. Enforcement typically involves requiring the offending light source to be shielded or repositioned.
Austin Light Trespass & Nuisance Lighting Rules
Some RestrictionsLooking for Travis County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Austin city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Travis County →