Outdoor Lighting in Surry County, NC (2026)

3 rules for unincorporated Surry County, North Carolina.

Verified from official government sources

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

Dark Sky Rules

For amusement parks, arcades, circuses, carnivals and fairs approved under Surry County Code § 154.008(C)(9), outdoor lighting "shall be shielded to prevent light from directly hitting adjacent property or any public right-of-way," a stricter shielding standard than the "designed to minimize" wording used for most other special-use categories in the same zoning section.

Shielded Outdoor Lighting in Surry County, NC

Some Restrictions

Surry County Code § 154.008(C)(9)(c)

(9) Amusement park; arcade; circus, carnival, or fair. See Permitted Use Table NAICS Classification Number 7131. ... (c) Lighting. Outdoor lighting shall be shielded to prevent light from directly hitting adjacent property or any public right-of-way.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Light Trespass & Shielding

Surry County's zoning code does not set countywide light-trespass limits for houses, but it does write a light-trespass standard into the use-specific conditions attached to special-use permits. An agricultural culture center approved under § 154.008(C)(3)(c) must design its outdoor lighting to minimize light directly hitting adjacent property or any public right-of-way, and the Planning Board can add tougher conditions case by case.

Outdoor Lighting Trespass Rule in Surry County, NC

Light Restrictions

Surry County Code § 154.008(C)(3)(c)

(3) Agricultural culture center. See Permitted Use Table NAICS Classification Number 11. ... (c) Lighting. Outdoor lighting shall be designed to minimize light from directly hitting adjacent property or any public right-of-way.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Billboard Lighting

Before Surry County will permit an electronic-messaging billboard, the applicant must submit proposed brightness settings and message-change intervals to the Board of Adjustment, which can attach conditions limiting brightness and timing, or deny the sign outright, under § 154.016-10(A)(3).

Surry County Electronic Billboard Brightness Rules

Significant Restrictions

Surry County Code § 154.016-10(A)(3)

(3) In the special use permitting process for billboards, the Board of Adjustment may deny the installation of an electronic-messaging billboard based on its required findings per §§ 154.010 or may require conditions limiting message brightness, message time intervals or other factors consistent with the intent of this subchapter. Applications for a special use permit for an electronic messag...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

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