Las Vegas, NV Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Parking lot light cap
- 2.0 foot-candles average
- Residential line cap
- 0.2 foot-candles average
- Pole height cap
- 30 feet including base
- C-V overlay color limit
- 4000 Kelvin max (Lone Mtn/La Madre)
- C-V overlay curfew
- fixtures over 35 ft off 11pm-5am
- Governing sections
- LVMC 19.08.040(E)(5); 19.10.020(E)(6)
Summary
Commercial and industrial development in Las Vegas must keep exterior lighting low-intensity and shielded under LVMC 19.08.040(E)(5): light cannot exceed 2.0 foot-candles in parking lots or 0.2 foot-candles at a residential property line, poles top out at 30 feet, and upward-directed fixtures need a shield or baffle to keep glare off neighboring land.
5. Lighting Requirements. Appropriate levels of lighting shall be provided to create adequate visibility and safety at night. (This standard does not apply to public street lighting, which is governed by other standards). a. Light Intensity. Exterior lighting shall be of low intensity and of a cutoff variety so that light will not spill out onto surrounding properties or project above the horizontal plane of the light source. ... c. Light Levels. The amount of light produced by exterior light sources shall be reduced to that necessary to maintain a minimum comfort level for safety and security purposes. Light levels shall not exceed an average of: 2.0 foot-candles in parking lots; or 0.2 foot-candles at a residential property line. ... e. Height of Fixtures. The height of light poles shall not exceed thirty feet, including the base; heights no greater than twenty feet are strongly encouraged. Light fixtures of up to forty feet in height, including the base, may be permitted for parking lots of fifteen acres or greater in size.
Full Breakdown
040(E)(5), the Lighting Requirements standard for commercial and industrial development, requires exterior lighting to be of low intensity and a cutoff variety so light does not spill onto surrounding properties or project above the horizontal plane of the fixture. 2 foot-candles at a residential property line. Light poles are capped at 30 feet including the base, and the code strongly encourages staying at 20 feet or under; poles up to 40 feet are allowed only for parking lots of 15 acres or more. Wall-mounted lights must point downward, and soffit-mounted fixtures must be recessed or otherwise fully shielded from view at any property line.
Ground-mounted or other upward-directed lighting is allowed only where a shield or baffle produces a soft, uniform light and keeps spillage off the trees, landscaping, walls or signs being lit. 140.
Violations & Fines
Under LVMC 19.00.090, exterior lighting installed contrary to Title 19's cutoff, height or foot-candle limits is a Title violation and a public nuisance, enforceable by the Director, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, or other designated City staff. The City can deny or revoke a related site development approval, issue a stop-work order, pursue administrative action to require compliance, or bring a nuisance abatement action; in the C-V lighting overlay, only a variance under LVMC 19.16.140 excuses noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a citywide light-shielding rule in Las Vegas?
How tall can a parking lot light pole be?
Does Las Vegas have stricter dark-sky rules anywhere?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Las Vegas
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Clark County handle dark sky rules.