Surprise, AZ Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Baseline standard
- Full cut-off fixtures citywide
- LZ2 lumens cap
- 150,000 to 200,000 lumens per acre
- LZ0 zone
- Scenic/sensitive lands, special review required
- Mixed-zone properties
- Governed by the more restrictive zone
- Prohibited light source
- Mercury vapor lamps banned
- Required infrastructure
- Underground service, timers/dimmers/sensors
Summary
Surprise requires full cut-off fixtures citywide and layers on stricter dark-sky protection in its LZ0 zone, where scenic and environmentally sensitive lands preserve 'an intrinsically dark environment' and any permanent lighting needs special review. LDO § 107-3.2.A sets the baseline shielding standard, § 107-3.3.A.3 defines the LZ0 dark-sky zone, and commercial lighting in LZ2 is capped at 150,000 to 200,000 lumens per acre.
A.All fixtures installed anywhere in the city shall at a minimum be full cut-off fixtures; excluding seasonal holiday lighting, decorative string lighting for outdoor seating areas, low-output ground-mounted lights directed at trees, monument signs, and other decorative features, and landscape light fixtures not exceeding one thousand (1,000) lumens per luminaire. ... 3.Lighting zone 0 (LZ0). Areas within this lighting zone includes those lands within a scenic lands development area as designated by the city General Plan and for other lands determined to have environmentally sensitive features or to be located in environmental buffer areas. In these areas, the preservation of an intrinsically dark environment both in the sky and in the visible landscape is considered of paramount value and special review will be required for any permanent lighting in this zone.
Full Breakdown
A, with narrow exceptions for seasonal holiday lighting, decorative string lighting in outdoor seating areas, low-output landscape fixtures under 1,000 lumens, and case-by-case alternatives approved by the community development director. A. LZ2 covers suburban and urban neighborhoods, commerce and office areas, and the transit-oriented development district, with medium to high ambient brightness allowed and a lumens-per-acre cap of 150,000 for new commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and multi-family development adjacent to residential property, rising to 200,000 lumens per acre where it is not adjacent to residential. LZ1 covers large-lot single-family, rural residential, and business park and industrial areas with limited nighttime activity, calling for low ambient brightness.
3 states that 'the preservation of an intrinsically dark environment both in the sky and in the visible landscape is considered of paramount value' there, and any permanent lighting in LZ0 requires special review. § 49-1104. 4 places the whole property in the more restrictive zone.
Violations & Fines
Installing a fixture that isn't full cut-off, exceeding the lumens-per-acre cap for the applicable lighting zone, or lighting the LZ0 dark-sky zone without special review violates LDO §§ 107-3.2 and 107-3.3 and is a code violation under § 106-1.6. Penalties follow the citywide schedule: a $100 to $2,500 civil sanction under § 2-238, or class 1 misdemeanor prosecution under § 1-7.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a full cut-off fixture and does Surprise require it?
Is my property in Surprise's dark-sky protection zone?
Are mercury vapor lights allowed in Surprise?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Surprise
Compare Surprise to another location·View the Arizona outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle dark sky rules.