Tallahassee, FL Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Where it applies
- MMTD Transects T3, T4, T5
- Fixtures required
- Full cutoff, downward-directed
- Up-lighting
- Banned except shielded accents off by 2 a.m.
- Max height
- 15 ft pedestrian areas, 25 ft elsewhere
- Near single-family zones
- 0.5 footcandle cap at property line
- Certification
- Sealed lighting plan required before occupancy
Summary
Tallahassee applies dark-sky lighting standards to the Multi-Modal Transportation District's Transects T3, T4 and T5 under Land Development Code § 10-427(c)(1)b: development there must use full-cutoff fixtures aimed downward and shielded to hide the light source, and interior and parking lighting must adhere to dark-sky principles that limit illumination to the minimum needed for safety.
Within the MMTD Transects T3, T4 and T5 the following lighting standards shall apply:...1.Developments should strive to achieve dark sky principles, which are intended to preserve the night sky, maximize efficiency, minimize intrusive glare, and limit lighting to the minimum amount necessary for identification and safety. Standards provided herein shall apply to development proposed after adoption of these standards, and shall not be construed to create non-conformities nor necessitate retrofitting existing light fixtures. Lighting for parking and for interior areas of development shall adhere to dark sky principles....4.Illumination.(i)All exterior lighting shall be total cutoff (i.e., directed downward and capped), and should be recessed or shielded to conceal the light source.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Development Code: Supplement 75 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
Section 10-427(c) sets Tallahassee's site lighting standards, and subsection (c)(1)b targets the MMTD's Transects T3, T4 and T5 specifically: 'Developments should strive to achieve dark sky principles, which are intended to preserve the night sky, maximize efficiency, minimize intrusive glare, and limit lighting to the minimum amount necessary for identification and safety... m. Search lights, lasers, strobes, internally illuminated awnings and wall- or roof-mounted floodlights used for general grounds lighting are all prohibited in these transects. Fixture height is capped too: 15 feet in pedestrian-exclusive areas and 25 feet everywhere else, with lighted bollards or recessed stairway lighting encouraged along walking routes.
5 footcandles measured six feet above grade at the property line. The same full-cutoff design standard reappears citywide at § 10-427(c)(3)b for any non-residential or dense-residential project next to a protected residential property, whether or not the project sits inside the MMTD. Emergency lighting and traffic-control devices are exempt everywhere in the section.
Violations & Fines
A lighting plan sealed by a registered architect, engineer or lighting professional must certify compliance before city land use and environmental services staff will sign off on final inspection or issue a certificate of occupancy. Non-conforming fixtures are not grandfathered once a site undergoes the Type A or Type B review that triggers this section, and unresolved violations fall under the Land Development Code's general enforcement and penalty process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tallahassee require dark-sky lighting everywhere in the city?
What fixture type satisfies the dark-sky rule?
Can I leave landscape uplighting on all night in the MMTD?
Who signs off on a project's outdoor lighting before it opens?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tallahassee
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Tallahassee to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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