Honolulu County, HI Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Commercial and industrial uses islandwide
- Required fixture type
- Full cut-off fixtures
- Protected districts
- Country, residential, apartment, apartment mixed-use, resort
- Rooftop gathering spaces
- Same full cut-off rule if unenclosed
- First-offense fine
- Up to $1,000 plus community service or jail
Summary
ROH § 21-4.100 requires every commercial and industrial use on Oahu to shield outdoor lighting with full cut-off fixtures so no light spills directly onto an adjoining country, residential, apartment, apartment mixed-use, or resort zoning district, and applies the same full cut-off shielding rule to uncovered rooftop gathering spaces so light stays within the gathering area itself.
§ 21-4.100 Outdoor lighting. For any commercial or industrial use, outdoor lighting must be shielded with full cut-off fixtures to eliminate direct illumination to any adjacent country, residential, apartment, apartment mixed-use, or resort zoning district. For a rooftop gathering space that is not enclosed, outdoor lighting must be shielded, with full cut-off fixtures to eliminate direct illumination beyond the rooftop gathering space.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-10: Supplement 10, 12-2025 Ordinance No. 25-40 through Ordinance No. 25-56).
Full Breakdown
100 of the Land Use Ordinance is Honolulu's dark-sky rule for commercial and industrial development: outdoor lighting must be shielded with full cut-off fixtures, meaning fixtures designed to direct light downward and prevent it from escaping horizontally or upward, so that no direct illumination reaches any adjacent country, residential, apartment, apartment mixed-use, or resort zoning district. The same requirement extends to a specific amenity type, unenclosed rooftop gathering spaces, where lighting must likewise use full cut-off fixtures to keep illumination from spilling beyond the rooftop gathering area itself onto neighboring properties or the sky.
90; together these sections form the transition standards a commercial or industrial project must meet whenever it sits next to housing. 100 applies islandwide, from the high-rises of Kaka'ako to a strip mall in Mililani or a warehouse in Waipahu, any adjacent country, residential, apartment, apartment mixed-use, or resort district gets the same full cut-off protection, and DPP reviews lighting plans for compliance as part of the building and zoning permit process for commercial and industrial projects.
Violations & Fines
An unshielded fixture that lets light spill onto a neighboring residential or country district is a Land Use Ordinance violation, enforceable the same way as any other Chapter 21 violation: criminal prosecution under § 21-2.150-1, with fines up to $1,000 for a first offense and added community service or jail exposure for a second conviction within five years, or DPP administrative fines through a notice of order under § 21-2.150-2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Honolulu businesses have to shield outdoor lighting?
Does the shielding rule apply to rooftop bars or lounges?
What is a full cut-off fixture?
What happens if a business doesn't shield its lighting?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Honolulu County
Compare Honolulu County to another location·View the Hawaii outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.