Outdoor Lighting in Charles County, MD (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Charles County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Charles County's § 297-306 lighting standards require site lighting to stay low-intensity, shielded, and non-glaring, with fixture height tied to cutoff type. Full cutoff luminaires that hide the bulb from a five-foot-high observer may reach 30 feet over nonresidential parking; uncut fixtures are capped at 20 feet.
Charles County Caps Height, Requires Cutoff Outdoor Lighting
Some RestrictionsCharles County Code § 297-306A, B(2)(a)
A. Site lighting shall be of low intensity from a concealed source, shall be of a clear white light which does not distort colors and shall not spill over into adjoining properties, buffers, roadways or in any way interfere with the vision of oncoming motorists. This section does not apply to public streetlighting. ... (2) Luminaire with total cutoff. (a) When a luminaire has total cutoff of li...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Charles County bans lighting that unnecessarily illuminates a neighbor's property. Site lighting must come from a concealed, low-intensity source, not spill onto adjoining land, and exterior fixtures must meet cutoff height limits set by § 297-306.
Charles County Light Trespass and Glare Standards
Some RestrictionsCharles County, MD Zoning Ordinance § 297-306(A), (D)
§ 297-306. Lighting standards. A. Site lighting shall be of low intensity from a concealed source, shall be of a clear white light which does not distort colors and shall not spill over into adjoining properties, buffers, roadways or in any way interfere with the vision of oncoming motorists. This section does not apply to public streetlighting. ... D. Exterior lighting plan. At the time any ex...
Billboard Lighting
Charles County's sign ordinance flatly prohibits building any new billboard, of any size, and separately bars illumination or glare from any sign, including surviving billboards, from spilling onto a public highway or right-of-way under § 297-319H and K. Existing billboards damaged beyond half their rebuilding cost must come down.
Charles County Bars New Billboards, Restricts Sign Glare
Heavy RestrictionsCharles County Code § 297-319H(1), K
H. Outdoor advertising signs, excluding those signs enumerated in § 297-325. (1) The erection or construction of new outdoor advertising signs and billboards of any size are prohibited. ... K. Adverse and unsafe illumination signs. No illumination or glare from any sign shall emit itself onto any public highway, roadway or right-of-way so as to adversely affect the safe and efficient movement o...
All Charles County ordinances
See every category we cover for Charles County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Charles County Ordinance Hub →