Charlotte, NC Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

2 of Charlotte's Unified Development Ordinance regulates exterior lighting on multi-family dwellings, multi-dwelling developments, mixed-use development, and nonresidential uses on private property; it exempts public right-of-way lighting and sign illumination. The maximum allowable foot-candle at the lot line is zero for any lot abutting a Neighborhood 1 or Neighborhood 2 Place Type, and one foot-candle for any lot abutting any other Place Type. All permanent fixtures, whether pole-mounted, rooftop, or wall-mounted, must use full cut-off or semi cut-off luminaire design as defined in Article 2.

Freestanding luminaires are capped at 26 feet in total height, rising to 35 feet in the Commercial Place Type and Manufacturing and Logistics Place Type. Flashing lighting is prohibited outright, and all fixtures must be located, screened, or shielded so they do not cause glare or impair the vision of cyclists or motorists. The ordinance carves out exceptions for security lighting mandated by higher-level regulations, temporary emergency lighting used by public safety or construction crews, and certain approved temporary uses whose lighting plans are reviewed as part of the temporary use approval.

The UDO took effect June 1, 2023 and was last amended March 23, 2026. Because this section sits in the zoning code, Charlotte's Planning, Design & Development Department and its Zoning Administrator enforce it through the zoning use permit and site plan review process rather than through a standalone lighting citation.