Outdoor Lighting in Mesa, AZ (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Mesa, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Mesa's Lighting Control Ordinance requires most outdoor fixtures to be shielded and filtered, caps light spillage at property lines to 0.5 footcandles (0.3 next to residential property), and bans mercury-vapor fixtures citywide. It is enforced by the Building Safety Director under Mesa City Code Title 4, Chapter 4, Section 4-4-1.
Mesa Outdoor Lighting Shielding Rules
Some RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 4, Chapter 4, § 4-4-1
(A)Purpose. This Section is intended to restrict the permitted use of outdoor artificial illuminating devices emitting undesirable rays into the night sky which have a detrimental effect on astronomical observations. ... (G)Light Spillage. The light level at any property line, measured thirty-six inches (36") above ground level, shall be not more than 0.5 footcandles (5 Lux) above ambient light...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Mesa caps outdoor lighting fixture height by district and use under Table 11-30-5, and bans motion effects outright: "Flashing, blinking, pulsing, chasing, and strobing effects are prohibited" on any exposed exterior building illumination. Together the height ceiling and the ban on moving light limit the wasted, skyward and off-site glow the ordinance is written to control.
Mesa Outdoor Lighting Height and Glare Limits
Some RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 11, Chapter 30, § 11-30-5(C)(1) and (D)(5)
C.Maximum Height of Lighting Fixtures.1.Lighting fixtures, including freestanding light poles as well as building-mounted lights, shall not exceed the maximum heights specified in Table 11-30-5 below. [Residential Districts: 15 ft detached; DC and DB Districts: 20 ft; All other Non-Residential Districts: within 50 feet of any street frontage, 20 ft; within 50 feet of a Residential District, 15 ...
Billboard Lighting
Electronic billboards in Mesa's Billboard Overlay District can't exceed 300 nits in full white mode during evening hours and must dim automatically with ambient light, while every billboard must go dark from 11 p.m. until sunrise except for emergencies, under Title 11, Chapter 25.
Mesa Billboard Illumination Limits
Some RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 11, Chapter 25, § 11-25-4(G)
Lighting Controls.1.Electronic Billboards.a.Evening Illumination. Illumination of electronic Billboards must not exceed 300 nits in full white mode in evening hours (from sunset until 11:00 p.m.).b.Automatic Dimming. Electronic message panels must include automatic lighting control technology to dim, control, and vary the intensity of the display based on ambient light conditions (e.g. daytime,...
Looking for Maricopa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Mesa city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Maricopa County →