Outdoor Lighting in Miami-Dade County, FL (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 6 cities in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Verified from official government sources

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

Dark Sky Rules

In unincorporated Miami-Dade County, area lighting for parking lots, sports fields and security must be shielded, deflected and permitted before installation.

Miami-Dade Outdoor Lighting Shielding Rules

Some Restrictions

Miami-Dade County Code § 33-4.1

Lights for area lighting of outdoor areas...shall not be permitted except under the following conditions: (a) Detailed plans shall be submitted...showing the location, height, type of lights, shades, deflectors and beam directions. (b) The Department may issue a permit...if...the proposed lighting will be so located, oriented, adjusted and shielded that the lighting will be deflected, shaded an...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Light Trespass & Shielding

Unincorporated Miami-Dade requires a permit and detailed plans for outdoor area lighting, capping spillover onto neighbors at one-half footcandle.

Miami-Dade Outdoor Lighting Glare Limits

Some Restrictions

Miami-Dade County Code § 33-4.1

Lights for area lighting of outdoor areas...shall not be permitted except under the following conditions: (a)Detailed plans shall be submitted to the Department showing the location, height, type of lights, shades, deflectors and beam directions...outdoor lighting for recreational and offstreet area parking purposes...in the RU, EU, AU and GU Zones shall be designed so that any overspill of lig...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Billboard Lighting

Miami-Dade County caps digital billboard brightness at 500 nits from sunset to sunrise (5,000 nits by day), bans flashing or scrolling illumination, and requires ambient-light sensors: a countywide minimum standard enforced under Sec. 33-96 and 33-107(f).

Miami-Dade County Billboard Illumination Rules

Some Restrictions

Miami-Dade County Code §§ 33-107(f), 33-96(c)(3)

(f)Illumination. Class C signs other than murals may illuminate the entirety of their sign faces with digital technology, only in accordance with Section 33-96...All digital signs shall be modulated so that, from sunset to sunrise, the brightness shall not be more than 500 Nits...At all other times, the maximum brightness levels shall not exceed 5,000 Nits. All digital signs shall have installe...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗