Outdoor Lighting in Palmdale, CA (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Palmdale, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
New development and exterior lighting retrofits in Palmdale must meet dark-sky standards under PMC § 17.86.030: fixture color temperature cannot exceed 3,000 Kelvins, mercury vapor and low-pressure sodium fixtures are banned outright, and every luminaire must be an IESNA cut-off or full cut-off type.
Palmdale Dark-Sky Outdoor Lighting Rules
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.86.030(D)(1) (Outdoor Lighting – Dark-Sky Compliance); § 17.86.030(C) (Prohibited Lighting)
(D) General Requirements. The requirements listed below shall apply to all outdoor lighting: (1) Dark-Sky Compliance. Pursuant to the International Dark-Sky Association recommendations, the color temperature of outdoor lighting shall not exceed 3,000 Kelvins. (C) Prohibited Lighting. The following types of outdoor lighting shall be prohibited: (3) Mercury vapor and low-pressure sodium lighting ...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Palmdale caps light spilling onto neighboring parcels at one-quarter foot-candle at the property line under PMC § 17.86.030(D)(3). Every outdoor fixture must be directed, oriented, and shielded so it does not throw glare or trespass onto adjoining property or public rights-of-way.
Palmdale Outdoor Light Trespass Limit
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.86.030(D)(3) (Outdoor Lighting – Light Trespass); § 17.86.030(D)(2) (Nuisance Prevention)
(D)(2) Nuisance Prevention. All outdoor lighting shall be designed, located, installed, directed downward or toward structures, fully shielded, and maintained in order to prevent glare, light trespass, and light pollution and away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way, so that no light fixture directly illuminates an area outside of the project site intended to be illuminated. (3) ...
Billboard Lighting
Every outdoor advertising structure in Palmdale must be built so its lighting and support frame are screened from public view, and it can carry no flashing, blinking, or animated lighting under PMC § 17.88.150(C)(5). Digital displays face an added limit: a photometric sensor must cap nighttime brightness at 150 nits under § 17.88.150(E)(4).
Palmdale Billboard Lighting & Screening
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.88.150(C)(5), (E)(4) (Outdoor Advertising Sign Structures - Design/Photometric Sensor)
Design. The outdoor advertising sign structure shall not be supported by more than one supporting post. It shall be architecturally treated so as to screen the frame, support structures and lighting from public view. The outdoor advertising sign structure shall not contain any flashing or blinking material, or mechanically activated or animated devices... Each DAD shall include a photometric se...
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Palmdale city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Los Angeles County →