Outdoor Lighting in Tallahassee, FL (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Tallahassee, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Tallahassee applies dark-sky lighting standards to the Multi-Modal Transportation District's Transects T3, T4 and T5 under Land Development Code § 10-427(c)(1)b: development there must use full-cutoff fixtures aimed downward and shielded to hide the light source, and interior and parking lighting must adhere to dark-sky principles that limit illumination to the minimum needed for safety.
Tallahassee Dark-Sky Outdoor Lighting Rules
Some RestrictionsTallahassee Land Development Code § 10-427(c)(1)b.1, b.4.i
Within the MMTD Transects T3, T4 and T5 the following lighting standards shall apply:...1.Developments should strive to achieve dark sky principles, which are intended to preserve the night sky, maximize efficiency, minimize intrusive glare, and limit lighting to the minimum amount necessary for identification and safety. Standards provided herein shall apply to development proposed after adopt...
Light Trespass & Shielding
When a non-residential or dense-residential project in Tallahassee sits next to or across the street from a protected residential property, Land Development Code § 10-427(c)(3)b caps light trespass at 0.5 footcandles measured six feet above grade at the property line, and the developer must prove it with a sealed photometric plan before the city will issue a final site plan.
Tallahassee Light Trespass Property-Line Limit
Some RestrictionsTallahassee Land Development Code § 10-427(c)(3)b
The following lighting standards apply when a non-residential or dense residential land use is adjacent or across a public street from a property which is protected residential....Trespass. Light trespass shall not exceed 0.5 footcandles, as measured at 6 feet above ground level at the property line.
Billboard Lighting
Digital billboards in Tallahassee can't glow as bright as their operator likes. Land Development Code § 7-64(f)(6)(g) sets numeric candela-per-square-foot ceilings for variable message off-site advertising signs, roughly cut in half between day and night, and split further by the color being shown.
Tallahassee Billboard Brightness Limits
Some RestrictionsTallahassee Land Development Code § 7-64(f)(6)(g)
Illumination of a variable message sign shall not exceed the following brightness limits measured as candelas per square feet at any focal point on any roadway or berm or any vehicular approach to any roadway: Day Night Red 300 100 Green 600 200 Amber 450 150 Blue 800 350 All Colors 650 250
Looking for Leon County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Tallahassee city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Leon County →