Frisco, TX Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Shielding height
- 3 feet near homes, 6 feet elsewhere
- Cobra-head fixtures
- Prohibited outright under § 4.05.07(A)
- Pole height cap
- 30 feet, 20 feet within 100 feet of homes
- Cutoff angle
- 90 degrees or less required
- Governing law
- Frisco Zoning Ordinance §§ 4.05.01, 4.05.02, 4.05.07
Summary
Frisco's Zoning Ordinance requires every outdoor light fixture on nonresidential property to be fully shielded so the bulb itself is never visible at three feet above grade on a lot line next to a home, or six feet elsewhere, and bans cobra-head style fixtures outright to protect the night sky and cut glare for drivers and neighbors.
(C) Shielded light source required. (1) All luminaires located on nonresidential use properties shall be designed so that the light source (bulb or lamp) is completely shielded from direct view of at a point three (3) feet above grade on the lot line abutting a Protected Residential Property. (2) In all other instances, the light source must be completely shielded from direct view of at a point six (6) feet above grade on the lot line. Section 4.05.07. Prohibited. (A) Lighting fixtures. (1) "Cobra head" type lighting fixtures having dished or "drop" lenses or refractors which house other than incandescent light sources shall be prohibited. (B) Flickering or flashing lights shall be prohibited.
Full Breakdown
01, which lists reducing glare, minimizing light trespass, and "preserve the night sky as a natural resource" among its stated goals. 02(C), "Shielded light source required," is the operative rule: every luminaire on a nonresidential property must be designed so the light source is completely shielded from direct view at a point three feet above grade on the lot line abutting a Protected Residential Property, and shielded at six feet above grade on every other lot line. 02(G) caps freestanding parking-lot light poles at 30 feet, dropping to 20 feet within 100 feet of a Protected Residential Property, and requires a cutoff angle of 90 degrees or less unless the Chief Building Official makes specific safety findings.
07(B). 06 with photometric data showing cutoff angles, and a stamped photometric plan confirming compliance is due within 30 days of a certificate of occupancy.
Violations & Fines
A property owner who installs an unshielded fixture, a cobra-head lamp, or a pole taller than the height cap near a Protected Residential Property is out of compliance with Subsection 4.05, and the Chief Building Official can require a change-request submission and correction before a certificate of occupancy issues; a nonconforming lighting plan can also be denied or modified on review under § 4.05.06(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business in Frisco install cobra-head style lights?
How tall can a parking lot light pole be in Frisco?
Does Frisco require a lighting plan before I install exterior lights?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frisco
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Frisco to another location·View the Texas outdoor lighting overview
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Collin County handle dark sky rules.