Shelby County, TN Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing code
- Memphis/Shelby County UDC 4.7
- Goal
- Curtail light pollution, skyglow
- Standard
- IES practices, BUG ratings
- Single/two-family homes
- Not regulated
- Parking-lot lighting
- None above 90 degrees
Summary
In unincorporated Shelby County, the Unified Development Code (UDC 4.7) sets outdoor site-lighting standards to curtail light pollution, reduce skyglow, and follow IES practices, but these apply to larger developments; single-family and two-family residential lighting is exempt.
Outdoor site lighting shall be designed to... Minimize adverse offsite impacts of lighting such as light trespass and obtrusive light; Curtail light pollution, reduce skyglow and improve the nighttime environment; Help protect the natural environment from the adverse effects of night lighting from gas or electric sources.
Full Breakdown
The Memphis/Shelby County UDC, Section 4.7, Outdoor Site Lighting, is the county's dark-sky-oriented lighting standard on unincorporated land. It requires lighting to meet Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recommended practices, minimize light trespass and obtrusive light, curtail light pollution, and reduce skyglow. New developments must comply with a prescriptive or performance method, submit a lighting plan, cap total site lumens, meet Backlight-Uplight-Glare (BUG) ratings, and shield parking-lot lighting so no light is emitted above 90 degrees. Importantly, UDC Sec. 4.7 does not regulate lighting on single-family or two-family residential sites, small residential subdivisions, street lighting, or sign lighting. So the dark-sky rules bite on commercial and larger multifamily projects, not an ordinary homeowner's yard lights. Incorporated cities apply their own codes.
Violations & Fines
A regulated new development that installs outdoor lighting exceeding the total site lumen limit, missing required BUG ratings, or emitting parking-lot light above 90 degrees violates UDC Sec. 4.7, enforced by Planning and Development through the joint zoning ordinance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does unincorporated Shelby County have dark-sky lighting rules?
Do the lighting rules apply to my house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shelby County
Compare Shelby County to another location·View the Tennessee outdoor lighting overview
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