Clark County, NV Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Light trespass cap
- 0.3 footcandles at property line
- EMU nits (Urban, dusk-dawn)
- 300 nits maximum
- EMU nits (Nonurban, dusk-dawn)
- 150 nits maximum
- Gaming Corridor
- Exempt from these standards
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor per NRS 193.150
Summary
Illuminated billboards and other off-premises signs in unincorporated Clark County are capped at 0.3 footcandles of light trespass and specific electronic-display nit limits under the county's sign illumination standard.
All signs shall comply with the following, except for development within the Las Vegas Boulevard Gaming Corridor as defined in NRS 463.3076.
B. Standards for Static Illumination
1. Illumination and Luminance Except for Electronic Message Unit Signs, all signs shall apply the following illumination standards:
i. No sign shall use beacons, search lights, strobe lights or any form of lighting that would impair the vision of motorists, pilots, or air traffic controllers.
ii. No sign shall use any form of illumination that would impede the effectiveness of any Government Sign.
iii. Any exterior light source shall be shielded, directed solely on the sign, and not upon any other object or adjacent properties.
iv. Illuminated signs shall not operate at brightness levels of more than 0.3 footcandles, as measured using a footcandle meter. The distance from which to measure footcandles is calculated using the following formula, rounded up to the nearest whole number: Measurement Distance (in feet) =(Area of Sign x 100).
2. Luminance Standards for Electronic Message Unit Signs
i. Electronic Message Units shall not exceed the following:
(a) In the Urban Area: a maximum luminance of 5,000 nits from dawn to dusk or a maximum of 300 nits from dusk to dawn.
Full Breakdown
Title 30 caps illuminated sign brightness at 0.3 footcandles measured at a distance based on sign area, and bars beacons, search lights, strobes, or unshielded light sources that spill onto adjacent property. Electronic Message Unit signs get separate nit caps (5,000 nits dawn-to-dusk, 150-300 nits dusk-to-dawn depending on area) plus mandatory auto-dimmers. The Las Vegas Boulevard Gaming Corridor (the Strip resort core) is carved out of these standards entirely.
Violations & Fines
Violations of Title 30, including unlawful sign illumination, are misdemeanors punishable under NRS 193.150; the County may also pursue abatement or other civil remedies against the sign owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply to billboards on the Las Vegas Strip?
How bright can an illuminated billboard be in unincorporated Clark County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clark County
Compare Clark County to another location·View the Nevada outdoor lighting overview
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