East Baton Rouge Parish, LA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Parish-wide dark-sky code
- None for homes
- Full-cut-off required
- Overlay / site development
- Pole height (directional)
- 30 feet max
- Pole height (non-directional)
- 15 feet max
- Definitions
- UDC Chapter 19
Summary
East Baton Rouge Parish has no parish-wide dark-sky ordinance for ordinary home yard lighting. The UDC defines full-cut-off and fully-shielded fixtures and requires them in overlay districts and larger developments, where pole lights must be full cut-off to limit glare and light trespass.
Fixture, Full Cut-Off: a luminaire or light fixture that, by design of the housing, does not allow any light dispersion or direct glare to shine above a 90 degree, horizontal plane from the base of the fixture and that is installed in a vertical position to prevent disability glare.
Full Breakdown
The City-Parish UDC does not impose a general dark-sky standard on single-family residential yard lighting. Chapter 19 (Definitions) defines a full-cut-off fixture (no light or direct glare above a 90-degree horizontal plane) and a fully-shielded fixture, and the UDC's overlay-district and site-development standards (Chapter 10) require pole-mounted lights to be designed as full-cut-off fixtures and cap pole height (15 feet for non-directional, 30 feet for directional/full-cut-off lighting). These operative standards apply to development sites and overlay districts, not to a homeowner's porch or landscape lights. For everyday nuisance glare between neighbors, residents rely on the light-trespass shielding rules and general nuisance provisions rather than a dedicated dark-sky code.
Violations & Fines
In districts where the lighting standards apply, fixtures that are not full-cut-off or that exceed the pole-height limits are UDC violations corrected through the development-review and enforcement process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Baton Rouge have a dark-sky lighting ordinance?
What is a full-cut-off fixture under the UDC?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in East Baton Rouge Parish
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