Dublin, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Dublin has not adopted a stand-alone dark-sky ordinance with numeric lumen, color-temperature, or curfew requirements like some rural California jurisdictions. Instead, outdoor lighting for residential development is governed by the objective design standards in Chapter 8.36 (Development Regulations). Section 8.36.020 includes lighting standards providing that light fixtures shall be designed to direct light downward and shall be shielded from off-site view, and that fixtures shall be mounted below the second story of two-story homes unless otherwise required by the Building Code. The intent of these provisions is to reduce glare and light spillover onto neighboring properties and the night sky, which is the core goal of dark-sky design even without a formal dark-sky designation. Larger commercial, mixed-use, and multifamily projects are also reviewed for lighting through the City's Site Development Review process (Chapter 8.104), where staff can require shielded, downward-directed fixtures and lighting plans. Because Dublin relies on these design standards rather than a quantitative lighting code, homeowners installing significant exterior lighting should confirm shielding and mounting requirements with the Planning Division at (925) 833-6610. For lighting that spills onto a neighbor's property, see Dublin's light-trespass guidance, which is addressed through the same downward-direction and off-site-shielding standard.