Bernalillo County enforces the New Mexico Night Sky Protection Act (NMSA §74-12-1 through -11), one of the nation's oldest dark-sky laws. All outdoor lighting over 150W incandescent equivalent must be fully shielded. IDO §5-11 adds local curfews and lumen caps.
New Mexico was the first state to pass a comprehensive dark-sky law (1999 Night Sky Protection Act, NMSA §74-12). It requires all new outdoor light fixtures to be fully shielded (IESNA full-cutoff) if they produce more than 150W incandescent or 1,800 lumens, and bans most mercury vapor lighting statewide. Bernalillo County IDO Section 5-11 implements the Act locally: all outdoor lighting must be full-cutoff, maximum 3000K color temperature, with lumen caps based on zoning (e.g., 25,000 lm/acre in residential, 100,000 lm/acre commercial). Sign lighting must shut off by 11 PM or one hour after close in non-residential zones near residential. The County is near multiple protected night-sky sites (Sandia Mountain Wilderness, Petroglyph NM). Exemptions: emergency, construction, and seasonal low-voltage decorative lighting. Sunport (KABQ) FAA-required aviation lighting is exempt.
Non-compliant new fixture: correction notice under IDO §5-11, 30 days to replace. Continued violation: fine up to $500 per fixture per day. Commercial sign left on past curfew: citation plus possible sign permit revocation.
Bernalillo County, NM
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Bernalillo County, NM
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Bernalillo County, NM
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Bernalillo County, NM
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Bernalillo County, NM
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Bernalillo County, NM
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See how Bernalillo County's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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