Outdoor Lighting in Royal Oak, MI (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Royal Oak, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
In the City of Royal Oak, zoning code § 770-96B caps exterior illumination at 0.1 footcandle at residential property lines and 0.5 footcandle next to nonresidential property, requires full cut-off shielded fixtures for lighting visible from an adjacent street, and limits fixture height to 20 feet, or 15 feet near residential areas.
Outdoor Lighting Shielding Rules in Royal Oak
Some RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code § 770-96B(3)
B. Exterior lighting from direct sources. ... (3) The following additional standards shall apply: ... (c) Lighting for uses adjacent to residentially zoned or used property shall be designed and maintained such that illumination levels do not exceed 0.1 footcandle along property lines. Lighting for uses adjacent to nonresidential properties shall be designed and maintained such that illuminatio...
Light Trespass & Shielding
In the City of Royal Oak, outside security lighting on residential property may never shine onto an adjoining residential property. The Property Maintenance Code, Section 303.11, bars owners and tenants from operating any exterior light, including low-wattage incandescent fixtures, that unreasonably intrudes onto a neighbor's yard, and requires all security lighting to be shielded to keep the beam on the host property.
Royal Oak Bans Security Light Trespass Onto Neighbors
Some RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code § 556-4K (IPMC § 303.11)
303.11 Exterior lighting: (a) No owner or tenant of any residential property shall authorize, maintain or permit the operation of outside security lighting that shines upon or onto any adjoining residential property from any residential property owned, leased, rented or under his or her control, nor shall any owner or tenant of any residential property authorize, maintain or permit the operatio...
Billboard Lighting
In the City of Royal Oak, an illuminated billboard needs extra distance from housing. City Code § 770-57B(3) sets a standard 200-foot buffer between a billboard and any residential zone or existing residence, but that buffer jumps to 300 feet if the billboard is illuminated.
Illuminated Billboard Setbacks in Royal Oak
Some RestrictionsRoyal Oak City Code § 770-57B(3)
(3) No billboard shall be located within 200 feet of a residential zone and/or existing residence. If the billboard is illuminated, this required distance shall instead be 300 feet.
Looking for Oakland County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Royal Oak city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Oakland County →