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Knoxville, TN Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Fixture standard
Full cutoff, 75° cutoff angle max
Legal basis
Zoning Code Art. 10, §10.2.B, D
Plan required for
Nonresidential, multifamily, townhouse sites
Banned outright
Searchlights, laser lights, facade neon

Summary

Knoxville, Tennessee (Knox County) requires all new or altered outdoor light fixtures on nonresidential, multifamily and townhouse sites to use full cutoff luminaire design with a maximum 75-degree cutoff angle, and bans searchlights and laser lighting citywide.

All luminaires must be of the cut off luminaire design. To be considered a cut off luminaire, the cut off angle must be 75 degrees or less. A cut off luminaire must be designed to completely shield the light source from an observer 3.5 feet above the ground at any point along an abutting lot line. ... Searchlights, laser source lights, or any similar high intensity lights are prohibited.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).

Full Breakdown

Article 10.2 of Knoxville's zoning code sets the City's closest thing to a dark-sky standard: every luminaire on nonresidential, multifamily and townhouse sites must be a cut off fixture with a cutoff angle of 75 degrees or less, shielding the bulb from anyone 3.5 feet tall standing at the property line. A lighting plan showing fixture specs and photometrics is required for those project types; single-family and two-family homes skip the plan but must still meet the shielding standard. Searchlights, laser lights and similar high-intensity fixtures are prohibited outright, and neon or LED outlining of building facades is banned too.

Violations & Fines

Noncompliant fixtures are caught at site plan review or by Building Official inspection; unauthorized searchlights, laser lights or non-cutoff fixtures can be cited and must be replaced or shielded to bring the site into compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do single-family homes in Knoxville need a lighting plan?
No. Article 10.2 exempts single-family, single-family attached and two-family homes from filing a lighting plan, but their fixtures still must meet the shielding and cutoff standards.
What counts as a 'cut off' fixture under Knoxville's code?
One with a cutoff angle of 75 degrees or less that fully shields the bulb from a 3.5-foot-tall observer standing at the property line.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Knoxville

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsBillboard LightingHeavy RestrictionsLight Trespass & ShieldingSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Leaf Blower RulesLight RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome Restrictions

All Knoxville rules

Compare Knoxville to another location·View the Tennessee outdoor lighting overview

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