Springfield, MO Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Non-cutoff max height
- 15 feet
- Full-cutoff max height
- 60 feet
- Applies to
- all zoning districts citywide
- Jurisdiction
- City of Springfield, Greene County, MO
Summary
Springfield's Land Development Code caps ordinary outdoor light fixtures at 15 feet, but a fixture with total cutoff shielding, fully blocking the bare bulb from ground-level view, may reach 60 feet under LDC § 36-484.
(a)When a light source or luminary does not have a cutoff...Maximum mounting or pole height of the light source or luminary: Fifteen feet.(b)When a light source or luminary has total cutoff of light at an angle so that the bare bulb, lamp, or light source is completely and opaquely shielded from the direct view of an observer at ground level at the perimeter of the property...Maximum mounting or pole height of the light source or luminary: Sixty feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 2 | Land Development Code: Supplement 9 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
The city's exterior lighting standards split fixtures into two tiers. A light source without cutoff shielding is capped at a 15-foot mounting height. A fixture with total cutoff, where the bulb, lamp, or light source is completely and opaquely shielded from direct ground-level view at the property perimeter, may be mounted up to 60 feet. Both tiers carry separate maximum footcandle limits at the property line, and any existing fixture that is later moved or replaced must meet these current standards, not whatever applied when it was installed.
Violations & Fines
Fixtures exceeding the applicable height or footcandle limits fail site plan review by building development services; relocating or replacing a legacy fixture forfeits any grandfathering and triggers full compliance under Sec. 36-484(4).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Springfield require dark-sky-style shielded fixtures?
Does replacing an old light fixture reset the height limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
Compare Springfield to another location·View the Missouri outdoor lighting overview
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