San Diego County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- County Code § 51.205, Light Pollution
- Shielding required
- Fully shielded, aimed downwards
- Curfew
- Off by midnight (vs. 11 p.m.)
- Enforcing agency
- Director of Planning & Development Services
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Unincorporated San Diego County requires billboard and other off-premises sign lighting to be fully shielded, aimed downward, and shut off by midnight under the county's light pollution ordinance.
Off-premises signs may remain lighted until midnight; and ... Lighting for on-premises signs shall be shielded where feasible and focused to minimize light spill into the night sky or onto adjacent properties. All lighting for off-premises signs shall be aimed downwards and fully shielded.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-141: Administrative: Current through Ord. No. 11007 (N.S.), effective 7-10-26 | Regulatory: Current through Ord. No. 11008 (N.S.), effective 7-24-26).
Full Breakdown
In unincorporated San Diego County, Chapter 2 of the County Code's Light Pollution ordinance (Title 5, Division 1) regulates outdoor lighting for off-premises signs, including electronic billboards. Off-premises sign lighting must be aimed downwards and fully shielded so no light escapes above the horizontal plane, and it may stay lit only until midnight: an hour past the 11 p.m. cutoff imposed on other Class I and Class III lighting. The Director of Planning & Development Services, acting as building official, administers and enforces the chapter; violations of the County Code are misdemeanors punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or six months in jail, or lesser infractions with escalating fines.
Violations & Fines
Violating the County Code is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, or a lesser infraction with escalating fines up to $500.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard in unincorporated San Diego County stay lit all night?
Does this billboard lighting rule apply inside the City of San Diego?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Diego County to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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