San Diego enforces a two-zone outdoor lighting code tied to Palomar Observatory. Zone A (within 15 miles of Palomar) caps color temperature at 4100K and prohibits high-intensity discharge lamps outright. Zone B (the rest of the region) requires fully-shielded fixtures and 4100K cap on new commercial installations.
San Diego County's Palomar Lighting Ordinance (County Code §59.101 et seq.) and the City of San Diego's Outdoor Lighting Regulations (Municipal Code §142.0740) protect Palomar Observatory operated by Caltech. The region is split into two zones: Zone A covers a 15-mile radius around Palomar Mountain and includes parts of unincorporated North County; Zone B covers the rest of the county and the City of San Diego. In Zone A, all outdoor lighting must be low-pressure sodium or amber LED below 4100K, fully shielded, and extinguished by 11:00 PM except for code-required security lighting. High-intensity discharge lamps (metal halide, mercury vapor) are prohibited. In Zone B, new commercial fixtures must be 4100K or below, fully shielded, and dimmed or extinguished 30 minutes after business close. The ordinance was strengthened in 2020 after a Caltech-led review of light-pollution trends and remains one of the strongest observatory-protection ordinances in the country. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) recognizes Palomar Mountain State Park as a Dark Sky Park within the protected zone.
Citations start at $250 per fixture per day in Zone A and $100 in Zone B. Retrofit can be required as a condition of any building permit. Repeat violators face misdemeanor charges and fines up to $1,000 plus mandatory replacement of non-compliant fixtures.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Diego County.
See how other cities in San Diego County handle dark sky rules.
See how San Diego's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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