Tacoma, WA Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Internal illumination
- Prohibited outright
- Curfew
- Off midnight to 5:00 a.m.
- Flashing billboards
- Prohibited
- Lighting direction
- Must use cutoff shields, no spillover
Summary
Tacoma bans internally illuminated and flashing billboards and requires all billboard lighting to shut off between midnight and 5 a.m.
No internally illuminated billboards are allowed. ... Lighting shall be directed toward the billboard and utilize cutoff shields or other means to prevent glare and spillover onto adjacent properties or skyward. No flashing billboards shall be permitted. ... All lighting for billboards must be turned off between the hours of midnight and 5:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4946110; v22 updated 2026-07-28).
Full Breakdown
Tacoma's sign code sets specific lighting standards for billboards under its special billboard regulations. Internal illumination is prohibited outright, and any lighting used must be shielded and directed onto the billboard face itself using cutoff shields, so glare and light spillover don't hit adjacent properties or the sky. Flashing billboards are also banned. On top of those design limits, the code imposes a citywide curfew: every billboard's lighting must be switched off between midnight and 5:00 a.m., regardless of zoning district.
Violations & Fines
An internally illuminated, flashing, or unshielded billboard, or one left lit between midnight and 5 a.m., violates TMC § 13.06.090I and is enforceable under the Land Use Code Enforcement procedures at TMC § 13.05.150, which can require correction or removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard in Tacoma be lit up at night?
Are LED or internally lit billboard faces allowed in Tacoma?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tacoma
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Billboard Lighting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle billboard lighting.