Outdoor Lighting in Santa Clara, CA (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Santa Clara, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Santa Clara's Zoning Code regulates outdoor lighting under Section 18.40.080 to preserve dark skies and keep glare off neighboring lots. Anyone pulling a building, electrical, or discretionary permit for new development must show the Review Authority the lighting design complies. Search lights, roof-mounted fixtures except for security, and moving or flashing lights are banned outright, and freestanding fixtures are height-capped by zone.
Santa Clara Outdoor Lighting Dark-Sky Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara, CA, City Code § 18.40.080(A), (D), (E)(6)
A. Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to regulate outdoor lighting to balance the safety and security needs for lighting with the City's desire to preserve dark skies and to ensure that light trespass and glare have a negligible impact on surrounding property (especially residential) and roadways. ... D. Prohibited Lighting. The following types of lighting are prohibited: 1. Search lights,...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Santa Clara's Zoning Code bars light fixtures from directly illuminating anything outside the project site. Section 18.40.080(E) requires every outdoor fixture to be shielded and aimed downward or at a structure so glare and trespass stay off adjoining properties and rights-of-way, and it sets a hard 0.1 foot-candle ceiling at the property line for sports-field and outdoor-activity lighting.
Santa Clara Light Trespass Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara, CA, City Code § 18.40.080(E)(1), (5), (8)
1. 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. ... 5. Sports Fields/Outdoor Activi...
Billboard Lighting
Electronic billboards and other digital display signs in Santa Clara cannot exceed 5,000 nits during daylight hours or 500 nits from dusk to dawn, measured at the sign face, under Title 18 Zoning Code Section 18.42.140. Every such sign needs an automatic dimmer that steps illumination down at sunset and back up at sunrise, plus a Conditional Use Permit.
Santa Clara Digital Billboard Brightness Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Clara, CA, Title 18 Zoning Code § 18.42.140(A), (G)(1)-(2) (Electronic Digital Display Message Signs)
A. Applicability. This Section applies to all electronic digital display message signs, including billboards (Section 18.42.090) and is intended to implement and comply with the California Outdoor Advertising Act of 2014, California Business and Professions Code Section 5200 et seq., as related to outdoor advertising displays, and Section 131 of Title 23 of the United States Code, including any...
Looking for Santa Clara County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Santa Clara city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Santa Clara County →