Colorado Springs, CO Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Shielding rule
- Element hidden from every property line
- Full-cutoff limit
- ≤10% lumens beyond 80° from vertical
- HPS lighting
- Banned for all site lighting
- Efficiency floor
- 80 lumens per watt minimum
- Governing section
- City Code § 7.4.1203
Summary
New construction, major expansions, and lighting retrofits in Colorado Springs must meet the dark-sky shielding standards in UDC Part 7.4.12. Fixtures other than motion-detector lights must be fully shielded so the lighting element isn't visible from any property line, and must be full-cutoff type: no more than 10% of emitted lumens beyond 80 degrees from vertical, and no more than 2.5% beyond 90 degrees. High-pressure sodium site lighting is banned outright.
C. Lighting Standards: ... 3. Shielding: a. All lighting fixtures, including wall packs (see figure to the right), except motion detector-activated lighting, shall be fully shielded so that the lighting element is not visible to an observer at any property line, except as stated otherwise in this Part 7.4.12. ... b. Unless otherwise specified, all lighting fixtures shall be full cutoff type as installed. Full cutoff light fixtures are those in which no more than ten (10) percent of emitted lumens can be detected at an angle more than eighty (80) degrees from the vertical axis of the light fixture, and no more than two and a half (2.5) percent of emitted lumens can be detected at an angle more than ninety (90) percent from the vertical axis of the light fixture. ... B. Prohibitions: ... 3. High Pressure Sodium Lights: High pressure sodium lights shall not be used for any type of site lighting.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
12, Exterior Lighting, which applies to new building construction requiring a Development Plan with on-site lighting, changes of primary use, expansions of gross floor area, dwelling units or parking by 50% or more, and any lighting modification or replacement equal to 50% or more of a parcel's permitted lumens. 3, all lighting fixtures, including wall packs, except motion-detector lighting must be fully shielded so the lighting element can't be seen from any property line. 5 percent at more than 90 degrees. A fixture may beam light upward only if a canopy, roof, or similar structure reflects it back down.
Full shielding is waived for motion-detector lighting under 1,800 lumens that cycles off within 10 minutes, and for underwater pool and fountain lighting. 3 separately bans high-pressure sodium lamps for any site lighting, citywide. 5) and pole-height caps of 20 feet within 75 feet of a residential lot line, so a dark-sky-compliant fixture is judged on output and placement, not shielding alone.
Violations & Fines
Because Part 7.4.12 standards attach to the Development Plan and building-permit process, noncompliant fixtures block plan approval and permit issuance outright rather than triggering a standalone fine. Once installed, unshielded or non-cutoff lighting is unlawful under UDC § 7.1.106 (Conformity With Regulations Required) and can be cited by the City's Code Enforcement Officer for correction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every outdoor fixture in Colorado Springs need to be shielded?
Can I install a high-pressure sodium light on my property?
What counts as a full-cutoff fixture?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colorado Springs
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