Outdoor Lighting in Carmel, IN (2026)
2 verified outdoor lighting rules for Carmel, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Carmel has no formal dark-sky ordinance, but its UDO controls glare and spill. Street lights must be full cut-off fixtures, overlay-district lighting must be shielded and directed onto the site, gas-station and lights near homes must be fully shielded down-lighting, and pole-mounted parking lights are height-limited, especially near single-family homes.
Carmel Outdoor Lighting / Dark-Sky Rules
Some RestrictionsLight Trespass
Carmel's UDO directly addresses light trespass. Lighting may not cast more than 0.1 foot-candle of illumination at any residential lot line or right-of-way, or 0.3 foot-candle at non-residential lines. Overlay districts require lighting to be designed so light is not directed off the site and the source is shielded from direct offsite viewing.
Carmel Light Trespass Rules
Some RestrictionsLooking for Hamilton County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Carmel city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Hamilton County →