Outdoor Lighting in Gaston County, NC (2026)

2 rules for unincorporated Gaston County, North Carolina.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Gaston County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Dark Sky Rules

Gaston County's UDO requires outdoor light fixtures on covered properties to be full-cutoff or semi-cutoff, with full-cutoff fixtures emitting no light above the 90-degree horizontal plane and semi-cutoff fixtures capped at five percent of light rays above that plane. Free-standing fixtures must also mount on a decorative pole.

Gaston County Outdoor Light Fixture Shielding Rule

Some Restrictions

Gaston County Unified Development Ordinance § 9.13.A.2

All fixtures must be either semi-cutoff or full-cutoff fixtures only. Full-cutoff light fixtures are shielded or constructed so that no light rays are emitted by the installed fixture at angles above the 90 degree horizontal plane. For semi-cutoff fixtures, no more than five percent of its light rays shall be emitted above the 90 degree horizontal plane.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Light Trespass & Shielding

Gaston County's UDO bars unshielded outdoor illumination of buildings or landscaping, requiring semi-cutoff or full-cutoff fixtures to avoid light spillage onto motorists, pedestrians, and adjacent property. The section's stated purpose is controlling light spillage and glare that affects neighboring parcels.

Gaston County Light Spillage Onto Neighbors Rule

Some Restrictions

Gaston County Unified Development Ordinance § 9.13.B.2

The unshielded outdoor illumination of any building or landscaping is prohibited. To avoid light spillage, only semi-cutoff or full cutoff fixtures can be used.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

All Gaston County ordinances

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