Indianapolis, IN Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Shielding trigger
- >900 lumens (60-watt incandescent equivalent)
- Fixture type required
- IESNA full cutoff, angle ≤90 degrees
- Residential pole height cap
- 20 feet
- Efficiency floor
- 80 lumens per watt
- CRI floor in Dwelling/Mixed-Use
- above 70
- Sports-field lights off by
- 11:00 p.m.
- Geographic reach
- all lands in Marion County
Summary
Indianapolis-Marion County's zoning code requires any exterior light source over 900 lumens, brighter than a 60-watt incandescent bulb, to sit inside a full cutoff IESNA fixture angled no more than 90 degrees, so the bulb itself stays hidden from view. The rule reaches every zoning district countywide, caps residential light poles at 20 feet, and bans hazy low-CRI high-pressure sodium fixtures in Dwelling and Mixed-Use Districts.
B.All light sources or lamps that emit more than 900 lumens (13-watt compact fluorescent or 60-watt incandescent) shall be concealed or shielded with an Illuminations Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) full cutoff light fixture with an angle not exceeding 90 degrees to minimize the potential for glare and unnecessary diffusion on adjacent property. ... D.The maximum height of any lighting pole serving a residential use is 20 feet. The maximum height serving all other types of use is 35 feet, except that in the I-3 and I-4 Districts the maximum pole height is 50 feet and in the C-5 and C-7 Districts for active recreational areas and uses the maximum pole height is 80 feet. ... H.High pressure sodium lighting and all lighting devices with a color rendering index of 70 or below are prohibited in Dwelling and Mixed-Use Districts.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 47 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
The shielding rule sits in Chapter 744, Article VI (Street and Exterior Lighting), which the Zoning Ordinance for Marion County, Indiana applies to "all lands within Marion County, Indiana" under Sec. 740-101, so the standard is genuinely countywide rather than limited to the old city limits. O. 64, 2015 was adopted (passed September 28, 2015, effective April 1, 2016), and covers lighting attached to structures, poles, the earth, or installed by a third party. Sec. B carves out six exemptions from the shielding standard: lighting on public monuments and statuary, lighting the FAA or another state or federal agency already regulates, temporary lighting for emergency work or nighttime construction, temporary lighting for theatrical, television or performance areas and special public events, lighting inside an adopted special-lighting plan such as the Regional Center or an Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission district plan, and temporary decorative seasonal lighting.
and stay under two foot-candles at the property line, requires canopy lighting to be fully recessed, and sets a minimum efficiency of 80 lumens per watt for every exterior fixture, on top of the color-rendering-index and high-pressure-sodium ban in Dwelling and Mixed-Use Districts.
Violations & Fines
An unshielded or over-height fixture is a civil zoning violation under Sec. 740-1005.A.8 (failure to meet zoning district development standards). The Department of Metropolitan Development's enforcement staff can cite the property; a first violation in 12 months is resolved by admission and payment of a civil penalty through the ordinance violations bureau under Chapter 103, while a second violation within that same year escalates to the enforcement procedures and penalties in Sec. 103-3. Owners may instead pursue a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the dark-sky shielding rule apply outside downtown Indianapolis?
What lighting is exempt from the shielding rule?
How tall can an outdoor light pole be?
What happens if I install an unshielded floodlight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Indianapolis
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