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Outdoor Lighting in Boulder, CO (2026)

2 verified outdoor lighting rules for Boulder, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Dark Sky Rules

Boulder Revised Code §9-9-16 is one of the strictest urban dark-sky ordinances in Colorado. Fully-shielded fixtures, 3000K color-temperature cap, lumen budget per acre, and 10:00 PM curfew on non-essential lighting. Sensitive overlay zones near open space have a 2700K cap and stricter trespass limits.

Boulder Outdoor Lighting Ordinance (BRC §9-9-16)

Heavy Restrictions

Light Trespass

Boulder prohibits outdoor lighting that causes unreasonable glare or illumination on neighboring properties. Light trespass complaints are handled through code enforcement.

Boulder Light Trespass Regulations

Some Restrictions

Looking for Boulder County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Boulder city rules.

Outdoor Lighting in Boulder County