Minneapolis, MN Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential lot-line cap
- 1/2 footcandle
- Nonresidential/curb cap
- 5 footcandles
- Cutoff fixture required above
- 2,000 lumens
- Facade/roof lighting
- must stay on the building
- Athletic field exemption hours
- 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Summary
Minneapolis caps site lighting at half a footcandle on residential lot lines and requires cutoff fixtures above 2,000 lumens under the zoning code's lighting performance standard.
Lighting fixtures shall be effectively arranged so as not to directly or indirectly cause illumination or glare in excess of one-half (½) footcandle measured at the closest property line of any permitted or conditional residential use, and five (5) footcandles measured at the street curb line or nonresidential property line nearest the light source. Lighting fixtures shall not exceed two thousand (2,000) lumens ... unless of a cutoff type that shields the light source from an observer at the closest property line of any permitted or conditional residential use.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
Zoning Code § 550.2230 bars any use from creating light or glare that constitutes a hazardous condition or a public nuisance. Fixtures can't throw more than 1/2 footcandle at the nearest residential property line (5 footcandles at a nonresidential line or street curb), and anything over 2,000 lumens (roughly a 150-watt incandescent bulb) must be a cutoff-type fixture shielding the source from that property line. Facade and roof lighting must be aimed so light lands only on the building. Street lighting, traffic signals, and institutional athletic fields (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) are exempted.
Violations & Fines
Zoning administrator enforcement for nuisance/hazardous lighting; noncompliant fixtures must be relocated, shielded, or reduced to meet the footcandle and lumen limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Minneapolis require full-cutoff fixtures everywhere?
Is there a stricter rule near the Mississippi River?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minneapolis
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