Outdoor Lighting in San Antonio, TX (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for San Antonio, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
San Antonio requires full-cutoff fixtures on residential lighting that reaches the property line, and caps parking-lot light poles at 15 to 30 feet depending on the fixture's cutoff angle, under UDC Sec. 35-392. Every light source must be shielded so its output stays off adjacent residential land and out of traffic.
San Antonio Outdoor Lighting Cutoff Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Antonio Unified Development Code § 35-392
(a)Lighting facilities used to light signs, parking areas, or for other purposes, including high intensity residential lighting and light from residentially used properties, shall be so arranged that the source if light is concealed from adjacent residential properties. It shall be arranged so that it does not interfere with traffic.1.All lighting fixtures installed on any residential property ...
Light Trespass & Shielding
San Antonio's Unified Development Code requires outdoor lighting for signs, parking, and other uses to be arranged so the light source is concealed from adjacent residential properties. Fixtures on residential property that produce any measurable foot-candles at the property line must be full cutoff, blocking light output above 90 degrees. Parking and loading area lights face height caps tied to how sharply they cut off glare.
San Antonio Outdoor Lighting Must Not Spill Onto Neighbors
Some RestrictionsSan Antonio Unified Development Code Sec. 35-392(a)-(b)
(a)Lighting facilities used to light signs, parking areas, or for other purposes, including high intensity residential lighting and light from residentially used properties, shall be so arranged that the source if light is concealed from adjacent residential properties. It shall be arranged so that it does not interfere with traffic.1.All lighting fixtures installed on any residential property ...
Billboard Lighting
San Antonio caps digital sign brightness at 7,000 nits by day and 2,500 nits at night for full color displays, with lower ceilings for red, green and amber. Sec. 28-43 covers on-premise and off-premise signs alike, requires a dimmer and photocell, and holds spill light to 0.3 footcandles over ambient, measured 100 to 250 feet out depending on sign size.
San Antonio Digital Billboard and Sign Lighting Limits
Significant RestrictionsSan Antonio Code of Ordinances Sec. 28-43
(6) Digital display light intensity exceeding the following intensity levels (nits) constitutes "excessive intensity or brilliance": Intensity Levels (NITS) Color Daytime Nighttime Red Only 3150 1125 Green Only 6300 2250 Amber Only 4690 1675 Full Color 7000 2500 (7) In addition to the maximum intensity levels (NITS) listed above, all digital displays shall be illuminated at a level no greater t...
Looking for Bexar County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Antonio city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Bexar County →