Outdoor Lighting in Douglas County, CO (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Douglas County, Colorado.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Douglas County's lighting standards protect the night sky by requiring most outdoor fixtures to be full cutoff, so no light shines at or above horizontal. Blinking, strobe, searchlight, and skyward-oriented lighting is prohibited, and single-family homes should keep fixtures under 2,400 lumens unless shielded.
Dark-Sky Outdoor Lighting Standards
Some RestrictionsDCZR Section 3005.01 (Lighting Standards)
Light fixtures, except as otherwise permitted herein, are required to be full cutoff as defined by the Illuminating Engineers Society of North America (IESNA). Full cutoff light fixtures result in a light distribution pattern where no light is permitted at or above a horizontal plane at the bottom of the fixture.
Light Trespass & Shielding
Douglas County's lighting standards limit light spilling onto neighbors. Fixtures within 15 feet of a residential property line must be shielded, and light may not exceed 0.1 foot-candles measured 20 feet from the property line. No fixture may create disability glare on adjacent property.
Light Trespass onto Neighboring Property
Some RestrictionsDCZR Section 3005.04 (Lighting Standards)
All light fixtures mounted within 15' of any residential property line of the site shall be classified as IES Type II or Type III ... Light levels shall not exceed 0.1 foot-candles 20' from the abutting property line as a direct result of the on-site lighting.
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