Outdoor Lighting in Washington County, MD (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Washington County, Maryland.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Washington County requires every new outdoor light fixture to be fully shielded and directed downward with a full cutoff housing, and scales pole-light height to distance from housing, from 15 feet within 50 feet of a residential lot up to 35 feet farther away.
Outdoor Lighting Shielding in Washington County, MD
Some RestrictionsWashington County Zoning Ordinance § 22.10.3(a)
(a) Shielding: Exterior lighting shall be fully shielded using concealed source fixtures directed downward and away from adjacent properties and street rights-of-way. All exterior light fixtures shall utilize full cutoff housings, louvers, glare shields, optics, reflectors, or other measures to prevent off-site glare.
Light Trespass & Shielding
Washington County caps light spilling onto a neighboring residential lot at 0.5 footcandles measured at the boundary, bans unshielded fixtures and mercury vapor lamps outright, and lets an inspector order any glare or trespass violation corrected.
Light Trespass Limits in Washington County, MD
Some RestrictionsWashington County Zoning Ordinance § 22.10.3(b)-(c)
(b) Glare and Light Trespass: Exterior lighting shall be designed, constructed, and maintained in a manner that minimizes off-site glare, light trespass on neighboring lots, and traffic hazards for motorists. Glare control shall be accomplished primarily through the proper selection and application of lighting equipment... At the boundary of any residential district or lot occupied by an existi...
Billboard Lighting
Washington County requires illuminated outdoor advertising signs to sit at least 1,000 feet from any dwelling, hospital, nursing home or school, double the 500-foot buffer for a non-illuminated billboard, and bans any billboard lighting that flashes, scrolls or changes intensity or color.
Illuminated Billboard Rules in Washington County, MD
Some RestrictionsWashington County Zoning Ordinance § 22.24(c)7
7. No Outdoor Advertising Sign shall be located within 500 feet of an adjacent property that is zoned for or contains dwellings, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, or other residential institutions for human care. If illuminated, the sign shall not be located within 1,000 feet of an adjacent property that is zoned for, or contains, dwellings, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, or other resident...
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