Outdoor Lighting in Rockville, MD (2026)
2 verified outdoor lighting rules for Rockville, Maryland, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Rockville requires every outdoor light fixture citywide to be shielded so it points down toward the ground rather than up into the sky, under the binding Landscaping, Screening and Lighting Manual.
Rockville Outdoor Lighting Dark-Sky Rule
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 25.8.7.1(a) (adopting the Landscaping, Screening and Lighting Manual § 5.d.1)
All lights must be shielded in such a way as to direct all light towards the Earth's surface and away from reflective surfaces. Incidental decorative lighting may be directed towards the sky if approved by the Chief of Planning or the Planning Commission during the site plan review process. Landscaping, Screening and Lighting Manual ...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Motion-activated security lights in Rockville are exempt from full-cutoff lighting rules only if aimed so the bulb isn't visible five feet above the property line, with added lumen and shutoff limits on single-unit lots.
Rockville Security Light Aiming Rules
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 25.8.7.1(a) (adopting the Landscaping, Screening and Lighting Manual § 5.f.12(d))
Motion activated light fixtures located as follows: (i) On lots developed with single-unit detached dwellings when such lighting fixtures emit initial lighting levels of 6,000 lumens or less, are extinguished within five (5) minutes upon cessation of motion and are aimed such that the lamp or light bulb portion of the lighting fixture is not visible at five (5) feet above the property boundary;...
Looking for Montgomery County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Rockville city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Montgomery County →