Outdoor Lighting in Queen Anne's County, MD (2026)

2 rules for unincorporated Queen Anne's County, Maryland.

Verified from official government sources

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

Dark Sky Rules

In unincorporated Queen Anne's County, Maryland, the maximum height of an exterior luminaire depends on shielding: 12 feet residential and 20 feet nonresidential with no cutoff, and 20 to 30 feet when the luminaire has a total cutoff below 90 degrees and the bulb is shielded from view. Public street lighting and specified recreation fields are exempt.

Queen Anne's County Exterior Lighting Height and Cutoff Rules

Some Restrictions

Queen Anne's County Code § 18:1-85

C. Exterior lighting standards. (1) Exterior lighting shall meet the following standards. (a) If a luminaire has no cutoff, then the maximum permitted height of the luminaire shall be: Standard Maximum Permitted Height of Luminaire (feet) Residential uses 12 Nonresidential uses 20 (b) If a luminaire has a total cutoff of light at an angle less than 90° and is located so that the bare light bulb...

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Light Trespass & Shielding

In unincorporated Queen Anne's County, Maryland, exterior lighting must confine direct light beams to the lighted property and away from nearby properties and passing motorists. No exterior lighting can cause illumination above 0.25 footcandle over background light levels, measured at grade at the property line of the site.

Queen Anne's County Light Trespass Limit

Some Restrictions

Queen Anne's County Code § 18:1-85

A. Purpose. (1) The purpose of this section is to regulate the spillover of light and glare on operators of motor vehicles, pedestrians, and land uses in the proximity of the light source. ... (2) All exterior lighting shall be installed and maintained so as to confine direct light beams to the lighted property and away from nearby properties and the vision of passing motorists. (3) No exterior...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

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