Maricopa County, AZ Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Max luminaires per sign face
- 4, § 812.3.3
- Max lumens per luminaire
- 40,000
- Required lighting direction
- Top-down, fully shielded
- Legacy upward lighting
- Auto shutoff 11 p.m.-sunrise, § 812.7.1
- Alteration trigger
- Must convert to downward lighting, § 812.3.2
- Permit step
- Plans filed with Zoning Clearance, § 812.8.1
Summary
Unincorporated Maricopa County limits offsite sign (billboard) lighting to four fully shielded luminaires per sign face at no more than 40,000 lumens each, lit top-down to stop glare and trespass, under MCZO § 812.3.3. Legacy bottom-mounted upward-lit billboards may keep operating only with an automatic 11 p.m.-to-sunrise shutoff until the sign is altered.
812.3.3. Offsite sign (billboard) external lighting: 1. Lighting shall be installed such that the sign is illuminated from top down to prevent glare and light trespass. 2. Light luminaires shall be fully shielded. 3. Shall consist of no more than four (4) individual luminaires (or lamps) per sign face and produces a maximum of 40,000 lumens per luminaires. ... Article 812.7. Other Exemptions from Outdoor Lighting Provisions: 812.7.1. Bottom-Mounted Outdoor Advertising Lighting: Any lawfully existing bottom mounted upward lighting shall be permitted to remain, but shall be equipped with an automatic device which shuts off the luminaires between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and sunrise. However, any future alteration to said billboard sign or support structure shall require the upward lighting to be removed and replaced with downward lighting in conformance with Article 812.3.2. All new billboards are required to be in conformance with Article 812.3.2.
Full Breakdown
3 caps offsite sign lighting at four individual luminaires or lamps per sign face producing a maximum of 40,000 lumens per luminaire, and requires the lighting be installed so the sign is illuminated top-down rather than bottom-up, to prevent glare and light trespass; every luminaire must be fully shielded. 3 lets billboards use fluorescent luminaires (footnote 7) only if mounted at the top of the sign structure and partially shielded, and exempts translucent, internally-illuminated advertising signs from shielding (footnote 4). 2. and sunrise. 1 requires the applicant to submit, with the Zoning Clearance application, plans and manufacturer specifications sufficient for the Zoning Inspector to verify compliance, including certified test reports where the configuration cannot otherwise be readily evaluated.
Violations & Fines
A billboard lit with more than four luminaires per face, exceeding 40,000 lumens per luminaire, lit bottom-up without the required automatic shutoff, or altered without converting to downward lighting under Articles 812.7.1-812.7.2 fails the Zoning Clearance review the Zoning Inspector conducts under Article 812.8, and operating it in that condition is non-compliance subject to zoning enforcement. Legacy upward lighting that is altered but not converted, or a searchlight run after 11:00 p.m. under Article 812.5.1, is likewise a violation of the outdoor light control provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lights can a billboard have in Maricopa County?
Can an older billboard keep its upward-facing lights?
Do billboard lights need a permit?
Can a billboard use fluorescent lighting?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maricopa County
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