Alachua County, FL Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Uplight limit
- No fixture emits light beyond 85° from nadir
- Governing section
- Alachua County Code § 407.146(d)
- Distinct from
- Cutoff/shielded fixture optics rule (§407.148(a)(2))
- Applies to
- All new development/redevelopment lighting (§407.144)
Summary
Alachua County caps how far outdoor light fixtures can aim upward or outward: § 407.146(d) bans any fixture oriented so that light is emitted at more than 85 degrees from nadir (straight down), a classic dark-sky measure limiting uplight and glare on all outdoor lighting tied to a development or redevelopment plan.
No person shall install any of the following types of outdoor lighting: ... (d)Any fixture oriented such that light is emitted at an angle more than 85 degrees from nadir;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
146 lists outright prohibitions on outdoor lighting within Article XIV, and subsection (d) is the county's dark-sky provision: 'Any fixture oriented such that light is emitted at an angle more than 85 degrees from nadir' is banned. Nadir is the point directly below a fixture, so an 85-degree limit means light may not be aimed nearly horizontal or upward, the design choice that causes sky glow and glare into the distance rather than illuminating the ground below the fixture. 144, so it is checked at development plan review alongside the article's other standards.
146(d) governs the angle the fixture is aimed regardless of housing design. 143 to prevent inappropriate lighting and minimize its impact on neighboring property. 145, small residential fixtures under 2,250 lumens, seasonal and landscape ornamental lighting, compliant sign lighting, and public-safety or airport-required lighting, are carved out of this angle limit as they are from the rest of Article XIV.
Violations & Fines
An improperly aimed fixture caught at development plan review must be corrected before approval; the Development Review Committee may accept a documented deviation under § 407.148(a)(3) but is not required to. After occupancy, violations are handled as ULDC violations under Chapter 409. Code Enforcement referral under F.S. Ch. 162, citations, or withheld/revoked permits until the fixture is re-aimed or replaced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Alachua County limit how far outdoor lights can point upward at night?
Is the angle limit the same as the 'shielded fixture' requirement?
What lighting is exempt from the dark-sky angle limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Alachua County to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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