Aurora, CO Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential curfew
- Off 11:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m.
- Shielding standard
- No glare onto ROW or neighbors
- Where billboards allowed
- I-2 district, within 1,000 ft of highway
- Enforcing office
- Planning Director / Neighborhood Services
- Instrument current through
- Ord. 2026-03, Feb. 23, 2026
Summary
Aurora's Unified Development Ordinance requires all sign illumination, including off-premises billboards, to be shielded against glare onto neighboring land, and bars lighting billboards next to residential property between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
3. Illumination. Illumination shall be shielded so there is no glare in the public right-of-way and adjacent properties, and directed so light does not stray above the light source horizontally. All lighting elements shall be kept in working condition.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Two UDO provisions govern billboard lighting in Aurora. Section 146-4.10.15(E)(3) requires all sign illumination, including off-premises signs/billboards, which are permitted only in the I-2 district within 1,000 feet of a highway, to be shielded so there is no glare onto the public right-of-way or adjacent properties, with light directed so it doesn't stray above the light source horizontally. Section 146-4.10.13(A)(5) separately requires any off-premises sign abutting a residential use or district to go dark between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. A billboard visible from a residential zone district or a freeway/interstate isn't allowed at all under § 146-4.10.13(C). Billboards along state highways may also need a separate Colorado Department of Transportation outdoor-advertising permit; the UDO governs only local siting and illumination.
Violations & Fines
An unshielded or non-curfewed billboard light is a UDO violation. The City typically gives 10 days' written notice to correct it, then may summon the owner to municipal court, with penalties set under Aurora City Code § 1-13 and each day of continued violation counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard's lights shine onto my property in Aurora?
Do billboards near homes have to turn their lights off at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.