Outdoor Lighting in Bloomington, IN (2026)
2 verified outdoor lighting rules for Bloomington, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
The City of Bloomington's Unified Development Ordinance requires most outdoor light fixtures to be fully shielded and full cutoff so the bulb is never visible past the property line, and it bans laser, strobe and searchlight beams for advertising or entertainment, reserving searchlights for public-safety use only.
Bloomington Outdoor Lighting Shielding Rules
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code § 20.04.090(c)(3), (c)(5)
(3)Prohibitions.(A)Laser Source Light. The use of laser, strobe, and/or flashing source light or any similar high intensity light for outdoor advertising or entertainment is prohibited.(B)Searchlights. The operation of searchlights is prohibited except when used by civil authorities for purposes of public safety.(C)Towers. Tower lighting shall not be permitted unless required by the Federal Avi...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Bloomington's Unified Development Ordinance caps how much light a fixture can throw across a property line: one footcandle at a point one meter beyond most lines, dropping to half a footcandle wherever the light spills toward an R1, R2, R3, R4 or RMH residential zoning district, measured with a light meter held five feet above grade.
Bloomington Light Trespass Footcandle Limits
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code § 20.04.090(c)(4)
(4)Light Trespass.(A)All lighting fixtures shall be installed so that light trespass from any property line, except a property line abutting a public street, shall not exceed one footcandle at a point one meter beyond the property line. Properties bordered by Rl R2, R3, R4, or RMH are allowed no more than 0.5 footcandles at a point one meter beyond the property line adiacent to those districts....