Outdoor Lighting in Kern County, CA (2026)
2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Kern County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Kern County's Dark Skies Ordinance, Zoning Chapter 19.81, requires any outdoor fixture of 100 watts or more, or emitting 1,600 lumens or more, to be fully shielded downward. Floodlights under 100 watts still need partial shielding. Freestanding fixtures cap at 20 feet in residential zones and 30 feet elsewhere, and most non-exempt lighting must switch off between 11:00 p.m. and sunrise.
Kern County Dark Skies Outdoor Lighting Ordinance
Some RestrictionsKern County Zoning Ordinance § 19.81.040(A), (J)(1)(c) (General requirements)
A.Shielding. All outdoor lighting fixtures which utilize one hundred (100) watts or more (based on an incandescent bulb), or emit one thousand six hundred (1,600) lumens or more per fixture, shall be fully shielded per the definition listed in this chapter, unless the fixture is exempted by this chapter. All floodlights which utilize less than one hundred (100) watts per fixture must be at leas...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Kern County's outdoor lighting chapter defines a 'fully shielded' fixture as one that projects no light rays above the horizontal plane at its lowest light-emitting point, and bars any fully-shielded fixture from casting direct light onto a neighbor's property other than a shared solid fence. Floodlights under 100 watts still need partial shielding to cut spillover, and sports-field lighting must aim so off-site glow onto residential lots stays minimal.
Kern County Light Trespass Shielding Rule
Some RestrictionsKern County Zoning Ordinance §§ 19.81.020(F), 19.81.040(A) (Definitions; General requirements)
F.Fully Shielded: An outdoor lighting fixture that is shielded with a non translucent barrier or constructed in such a manner that the light rays emitted by the fixture, either directly from the lamp or indirectly from the fixture, are projected below a horizontal plane passing through the lowest point of the fixture where light is emitted. Light rays emitted by a fully-shielded fixture shall n...
Outdoor Lighting by City in Kern County
3 cities in Kern County have their own outdoor lighting rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Kern County ordinances
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