Omaha, NE Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cutoff standard
- Full-cutoff luminaires, zero candela above 90° nadir
- Residential cap
- 0.5 fc horizontal at residential property lines
- Other property cap
- 1.0 fc horizontal at nonresidential property lines
- Small fixtures exempt
- 100 watts or less allowed as non-cutoff
- Permit trigger
- Photometric plan needed for 4+ fixtures
- Grandfather period
- Existing fixtures exempt for 17 years
- Cure period
- 6 months to fix nonconforming lights after notice
Summary
Omaha requires exterior light fixtures to be full-cutoff luminaires that throw zero candela at 90 degrees above nadir, capping illumination at 0.5 footcandle at residential property lines and 1.0 footcandle everywhere else, under Section 44-241. Building permits for new outdoor lighting need a photometric plan unless three or fewer fixtures are involved.
All luminaires shall be of the IES "full cutoff" type where zero candela intensity occurs at an angle of 90 degrees above nadir, and all greater angles from nadir. Additionally, the candela per 1,000 lamp lumens shall not numerically exceed 100 or ten percent at an angle of 80 degrees above nadir. This applies to all lateral angles around the luminaire. Notwithstanding this section, noncutoff type luminaires contained in or under canopies over gasoline dispensing units located at convenient stores, service stations or other commercial establishments dispensing gasoline and other commercial fuels shall be allowed. Such noncutoff type luminaires shall however, be subject to all other provisions of this division. Shields may be installed on any non-conforming luminaire to comply with this division. Luminaires that do not exceed 100 watts shall be permitted as non- cutoff fixtures.
Full Breakdown
Section 44-235 makes it unlawful to erect or maintain exterior lighting anywhere in Omaha's zoning jurisdiction that violates the standards in Chapter 44's lighting division. The core glare-control rule, Section 44-241, requires all luminaires to be the IES 'full cutoff' type, meaning zero candela intensity at 90 degrees above nadir and no more than 100 candela per 1,000 lamp lumens (or ten percent) at 80 degrees above nadir, measured at every lateral angle around the fixture; fixtures of 100 watts or less are allowed as non-cutoff.
0 vertical footcandles at any other property line except public ways. A short list of exceptions in Section 44-237 covers airport lighting, public street lighting, public-safety lighting, utility equipment, temporary holiday and event lighting, construction lighting, flagpole lighting, and sports-field lighting up to 80 feet in mounting height that must shut off within an hour of the event ending. Building permit applications for outdoor lighting must include placement plans, photometric calculations, and fixture specs under Section 44-243, though a plan is not required for three or fewer fixtures that do not raise adjacent lighting levels.
Existing 'lawful' fixtures are grandfathered for 17 years under Section 44-244, after which residential and adjacent-commercial fixtures exceeding one footcandle at the property line, aiming a concentrated beam past the property line, or lacking cutoff shielding can be declared a public nuisance on a neighbor's or the city's complaint.
Violations & Fines
A nonconforming fixture declared a nuisance must be replaced, shielded, screened, or redirected within six months of written notice from the city under Section 44-244(b). A complaint against a commercial property adjacent to a residence must be backed by certifications from the city's Electrical Official and a licensed electrical engineer, and the cited property owner pays the reasonable cost of that engineer's certification. Appeals from the Electrical Official's decisions run through Chapter 43's appeal process, per Section 44-246.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can outdoor lights be near a house in Omaha?
What does 'full cutoff' mean under Omaha's lighting rule?
Do I need a permit for new outdoor lighting?
What happens to lights installed before this rule existed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Omaha
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