Outdoor Lighting in Rockingham County, VA (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Rockingham County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Rockingham County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.
Dark Sky Rules
New outdoor lighting fixtures in unincorporated Rockingham County must be International Dark-Sky Association approved or full cut-off, fixed in a downward orientation, under Sec. 17-706 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Dark-Sky Fixture Rules, Rockingham County
Some RestrictionsRockingham County Code § 17-706(b), (c)
(b)All new lighting fixtures shall be approved by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), or equivalent. Lighting fixtures not approved by the IDA shall be full cut-off design. ... (c)Lighting fixtures shall be installed in a fixed position which orients the light downward. Incidental lighting fixtures, which do not cause glare or any light trespass onto adjacent parcels, are exempted fro...
Light Trespass & Shielding
In Rockingham County outside Harrisonburg and the towns, all outdoor lighting on a site plan must be arranged to protect neighboring parcels from light trespass and light pollution, and fixtures are capped at 0.5 footcandle at the property line.
Light Trespass Limits in Rockingham County
Some RestrictionsRockingham County Code § 17-706(a), (e)
(a)All outdoor lighting, including the placement, orientation, distribution patterns and fixture types of outdoor lights, shall be installed to protect the adjacent properties from light trespass and light pollution to the fullest extent possible. This includes pole-mounted lights and wall-mounted lights (wall packs). ... (e)Lighting fixtures shall provide only 0.5 footcandle maximum at the pro...
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