Outdoor Lighting in Phoenix, AZ (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Phoenix, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Phoenix requires most outdoor light fixtures to be fully shielded downward, and metal halide or fluorescent fixtures must also be filtered, unless the light auto-shuts off overnight.
Phoenix Outdoor Light Shielding Rules
Some RestrictionsPhoenix City Code § 23-100
Requirements for shielding or filtration. When used for outdoor lighting, shielding or filtration shall be required for the lamp types as set forth in the following table, unless the lighting contains an automatic shutoff device and is not used from 11:00 p.m. until sunrise: +-------------------------------------+----------+----------+ | Fixture Lamp Type | Shielded | Filter...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Phoenix requires most outdoor light fixtures to be fully shielded so light does not spill onto neighboring property or scatter into the night sky.
Phoenix Outdoor Lighting Must Be Shielded
Some RestrictionsPhoenix City Code § 23-100
A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to create standards for outdoor lighting so that its use does not interfere with reasonable use and enjoyment of adjacent property, while also minimizing atmospheric light scattering. ... Fully shielded: ...fixtures so designated shall be shielded in such a manner that light rays emitted from the fixture, either directly from the source of illumination...
Billboard Lighting
Off-premise billboards in Phoenix may be lit but must dim after sunset and go dark from 11 p.m. to sunrise under the Zoning Ordinance.
Phoenix Billboard Lighting: Curfew and Dimming Rules
Some RestrictionsPhoenix Zoning Ordinance § 705.2.E
Off-premise signs may be internally illuminated, indirectly illuminated, or directly illuminated... Dimmer on sign shall be set in the evening hours (from sunset to 11:00 p.m.) not to exceed 300 nits for signs that are 14 feet by 48 feet and 342 nits for signs that are ten feet by 30 feet... From 11:00 p.m. until sunrise all sign illumination shall be extinguished and sign shall be equipped wit...
Looking for Maricopa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Phoenix city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Maricopa County →