Outdoor Lighting in Omaha, NE (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Omaha, Nebraska, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Omaha requires exterior light fixtures to be full-cutoff luminaires that throw zero candela at 90 degrees above nadir, capping illumination at 0.5 footcandle at residential property lines and 1.0 footcandle everywhere else, under Section 44-241. Building permits for new outdoor lighting need a photometric plan unless three or fewer fixtures are involved.
Omaha Outdoor Lighting Glare Control Rules
Some RestrictionsOmaha, NE Code of Ordinances § 44-241
All luminaires shall be of the IES "full cutoff" type where zero candela intensity occurs at an angle of 90 degrees above nadir, and all greater angles from nadir. Additionally, the candela per 1,000 lamp lumens shall not numerically exceed 100 or ten percent at an angle of 80 degrees above nadir. This applies to all lateral angles around the luminaire. Notwithstanding this section, noncutoff t...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Omaha's zoning code limits how much light a property's exterior lighting can throw onto the property line: 0.5 footcandle at residential lines, 1.0 footcandle everywhere else, with tighter vertical limits too.
Omaha Caps Outdoor Light Spillover at Property Line
Some RestrictionsOmaha, NE Code of Ordinances § 44-240
Illumination levels attributable to the lighting system shall not exceed 0.5 maintained horizontal footcandle nor 2.0 initial vertical footcandles, measured at the closest property line of any permitted or conditional residential use. Illumination levels attributable to the lighting system shall not exceed 1.0 maintained horizontal footcandle nor 4.0 initial vertical footcandles, measured at th...
Billboard Lighting
Electronic off-premises signs (digital billboards) in Omaha are capped at 5,200 nits by day and 500 nits from dusk to dawn, with mandatory auto-dimming.
Omaha Digital Billboard Brightness Cap
Some RestrictionsOmaha Municipal Code § 55-854
The maximum brightness of the sign shall not exceed a luminance of 5,200 NITS (candelas per square meter) during daylight hours, or 0.3 foot-candles over ambient lighting, whichever is less. The maximum brightness of the sign shall not exceed a luminance of 500 NITS during the period from dusk to dawn... The sign shall have an automatic dimmer control or ambient light monitors to produce an ill...
Looking for Douglas County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Omaha city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Douglas County →