Miami-Dade County, FL Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Required for outdoor area lighting
- Spillover cap
- 1/2 footcandle on adjacent property
- Scope
- Unincorporated Miami-Dade (UMSA) only
- Reviewer
- Dept. of Planning and Zoning
- Zones with numeric cap
- RU, EU, AU, GU
Summary
In unincorporated Miami-Dade County, area lighting for parking lots, sports fields and security must be shielded, deflected and permitted before installation.
Lights for area lighting of outdoor areas...shall not be permitted except under the following conditions: (a) Detailed plans shall be submitted...showing the location, height, type of lights, shades, deflectors and beam directions. (b) The Department may issue a permit...if...the proposed lighting will be so located, oriented, adjusted and shielded that the lighting will be deflected, shaded and focused away from such adjacent property and will not be or become a nuisance to such adjacent property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 135).
Full Breakdown
Under the county zoning code, outdoor area lighting for uses like tennis courts, golf courses, parking lots and security lighting can't go up without a Planning and Zoning Department permit. Applicants submit detailed plans showing fixture location, height, type, shades, deflectors and beam direction, and the Department only approves lighting that's oriented and shielded away from adjacent property. In RU, EU, AU and GU zones, light spillover onto neighboring property is capped at one-half footcandle, both vertical and horizontal, verified by a registered engineer's or architect's compliance letter. This applies only in unincorporated Miami-Dade (UMSA); the 34 municipalities set their own lighting rules.
Violations & Fines
Unshielded or unpermitted outdoor area lighting, or spillover exceeding the one-half footcandle cap, is a zoning code violation the Department can deny a permit for or refer to code enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this outdoor lighting rule apply inside the City of Miami or Miami Beach?
What triggers the permit requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami-Dade County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami-Dade County to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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