Outdoor Lighting in San Bernardino County, CA (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 6 cities in San Bernardino County, California.

Verified from official government sources

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

Dark Sky Rules

Outdoor lighting in San Bernardino County's Mountain and Desert regions must be fully shielded and shut off by 11:00 p.m., with narrow exceptions for entry lighting and motion-sensor fixtures.

San Bernardino County Dark Sky Lighting Curfew

Some Restrictions

San Bernardino County Code § 83.07.060(d)

(d) Dark Sky Curfew. All outdoor lighting shall be extinguished by 11:00 p.m., close of business, or when people are no longer present in exterior areas, whichever is later, except for the following: (1) Lighting used for entry and exit points of a structure, parking areas, driveways and driveway ingress/egress points; or (2) Lighting activated by a motion sensor that extinguishes no later than...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Light Trespass & Shielding

Commercial and industrial lighting can't spill more than 0.5 foot-candles onto neighboring homes or the street; mountain and desert zones cap it at 0.1 foot-candles.

San Bernardino County Light Trespass Rules

Some Restrictions

San Bernardino County Code § 83.07.050(a)-(b)

(a) Light Trespass from Commercial or Industrial Use - Prohibited. Outdoor lighting of commercial or industrial land uses shall be fully shielded to preclude light pollution or light trespass in excess of the maximum allowed foot-candles allowed by subdivision (b) on any of the following: (1) An abutting residential land use zoning district; (2) A residential parcel; or (3) Public right-of-way....

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Billboard Lighting

Off-site sign (billboard) illumination in unincorporated San Bernardino County must comply with the county's outdoor lighting chapter, including mountain/desert dark-sky curfews where applicable.