San Bernardino County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Unincorporated San Bernardino County's Mountain and Desert Regions are subject to dark-sky lighting standards in Development Code Section 83.07.040, strengthened by the Light Trespass Ordinance that took effect January 6, 2022. The County's stated goal is to curb light pollution and help restore visibility of the night sky. Per Land Use Services, all outdoor fixtures must be fully shielded so that shielding does not permit light trespass in excess of one-tenth (0.1) foot-candle, and the correlated color temperature of all outdoor lighting must be 3,000 Kelvin or less, except for seasonal lighting. Residential pole lighting may not exceed 12 feet in height (Section 83.07.040(a)(1)). Section 83.07.040(a)(2) and Table 83-7 set shielding requirements by lamp type, prohibiting or requiring full shielding for high-intensity sources such as metal halide, mercury vapor, and quartz, and barring searchlights and advertising lasers projected above horizontal. Outdoor lights must be extinguished as soon as no people remain in exterior areas, with exceptions for entry/exit lighting, parking areas, driveways, and motion-sensor fixtures that switch off within five minutes. Recreation-facility lighting is curfewed: private facilities may not be illuminated between 11:00 p.m. and sunrise, and public facilities only while in use, off no later than 11:00 p.m. or one hour after the event (Section 83.07.040(c)). Fossil-fuel lamps, government facilities, emergency lighting, holiday lighting, and small entry lights are exempt.