Outdoor Lighting in Knox County, TN (2026)

2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Knox County, Tennessee.

Verified from official government sources

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

Dark Sky Rules

Knox County has no formal dark-sky ordinance, but its Zoning Ordinance requires outdoor lighting for parking, storage, display, or security to be shielded and aimed away from residential property, reducing glare, light trespass, and overlighting. Sign lighting near residential zones must be indirect or non-reflective.

Outdoor Lighting Standards in Knox County

Some Restrictions

Knox County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 4.10.10.A

Lighting used for parking lots, outdoor storage, product display or security shall reduce the impacts of glare, light trespass and overlighting, promote safety and security and encourage energy conservation and shall not interfere with the operation of motor vehicles in the public right-of-way or adjacent uses of land.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Light Trespass & Shielding

Knox County's zoning ordinance requires outdoor lighting used for parking lots, outdoor storage, product display or security to be shielded and aimed away from any lot boundary next to residentially zoned property, so it can't spill onto a neighbor's land. Sec. 4.10.10 names light trespass specifically as one of the impacts the standard is meant to reduce, alongside glare and overlighting, and code administration and enforcement reviews lighting plans before issuing a commercial or industrial building permit.

Light Trespass Rules for Outdoor Lighting Knox Co

Some Restrictions

Knox County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 4.10.10.B

4.10.10. Outdoor lighting. A.Principle. Lighting used for parking lots, outdoor storage, product display or security shall reduce the impacts of glare, light trespass and overlighting, promote safety and security and encourage energy conservation and shall not interfere with the operation of motor vehicles in the public right-of-way or adjacent uses of land.B.Standards. The light source shall b...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Outdoor Lighting by City in Knox County

1 cities in Knox County have their own outdoor lighting rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.

KnoxvillePop. 190,740

3 verified rules • Billboard Lighting, Dark Sky Rules

All Knox County ordinances

See every category we cover for Knox County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.

Knox County Ordinance Hub →