Suffolk County, NY Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- L.L. No. 26-2004
- Applies to
- County-owned facilities only
- Requirement
- Fully shielded luminaires
- Current color cap
- 2,200 Kelvin maximum
- Enforced via
- County procurement specifications
Summary
Suffolk County requires new and replacement outdoor light fixtures on county-owned buildings, parking lots and docks to be fully shielded and capped at 2,200 Kelvin, but the rule only binds county government, not private property.
When purchasing new or replacement lighting, all County departments shall include a specification in a solicitation for the purchase of any permanent outdoor luminaire that requires the provider to offer for sale to the County of Suffolk only luminaires that 1) are fully shielded and 2) use lamps with a correlated color temperature no higher than 3500 Kelvin for all lamps purchased through December 31, 2015...
Full Breakdown
Chapter 149 of the Suffolk County Code (Local Law No. 26-2004, amended 2013 and 2022) requires every County department buying new or replacement outdoor luminaires for County buildings, parking lots, docks and other County infrastructure to specify fixtures that are fully shielded and rated no higher than 2,200 Kelvin. Historic/decorative fixtures, sports facilities, airports, and safety-driven exceptions approved by the Commissioner of Public Works are exempt. The law binds only Suffolk County government's own facilities: it sets no shielding, brightness, or color-temperature standard for homes or businesses. Private outdoor-lighting rules in Suffolk County, if any, are set by the individual town or village that zones the property, such as Babylon or Huntington.
Violations & Fines
No fine or citation applies to residents. Chapter 149 is a procurement standard for County departments, enforced through purchasing specifications and the Commissioner of Public Works, not code enforcement against property owners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Suffolk County limit outdoor lighting on private property?
What shielding standard must County lighting meet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Suffolk County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Suffolk County to another location·View the New York outdoor lighting overview
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