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

Durham does not run a freestanding 'dark sky' ordinance; the night-sky protection lives inside Sec. 3 of the UDO's outdoor lighting standards, the same article that sets foot-candle ranges and full cut-off heights for nonresidential and multifamily development under Sec. 2. The accent-lighting clause specifically targets fixtures used to highlight a building's architecture, landscaping or public art: they must be 'located, aimed or shielded to minimize light spill into the night sky,' rather than left to shine upward unchecked. The same portion of Sec. 3 bars blinking or flashing lights outright, except for required safety beacons or permitted sign lighting under Article 11, and it requires non-directional fixtures, those not built to cut off light at a horizontal plane, to stay at or below 15 feet and be translucent or baffled so the bulb itself is not visible.

Because the UDO is a joint City-County Planning ordinance, these standards reach both the City of Durham and the unincorporated part of Durham County covered by the same document; they do not apply, however, to single-family homes, which fall outside Sec. 2's applicability. Violations are handled the same way as other UDO lighting violations: a notice of violation, an opportunity to correct, and a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation under Sec. 4 if the fixture is not brought into compliance.