Yavapai County, AZ Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Single-family lumen cap
- 5,000 initial lumens per lot
- Commercial/industrial cap
- 50,000 lumens/acre, 200,000 max
- Class 1 & 2 fixtures
- Must be fully shielded
- Auto shutoff time
- 10 PM or 30 min after closing
- Mercury vapor fixtures
- Banned unless installed pre-1950
- Max penalty
- $750/day individual, $10,000/day entity
Summary
Yavapai County's Section 603 dark-sky ordinance caps single-family lots at 5,000 lumens and commercial/industrial lots at 50,000 lumens per acre, requires most fixtures to be fully shielded, and bans mercury vapor lights installed after 1950.
The purpose of this Section is to support the preservation of dark night skies which are enjoyed as an environmental quality by residents of the County. This Section establishes regulations that allow outdoor lighting for uses and activities consistent with the requirement for functionality and safety, while minimizing: Light escaping directly from fixtures, or indirectly after reflection from a surface projects into the atmosphere, causing increased artificial sky brightness... Light trespass across property lines; and Potential disruption to nocturnal ecosystems including human health. ... Table 603-1: Total Light Output Standards - Single-family Residential: 5,000 initial lumens per lot. Commercial and Industrial: 50,000 initial lumens per acre, averaged over the entire property, and not to exceed 200,000 total lumens per lot unless approved by the Development Services Director.
Full Breakdown
Section 603 (Outdoor Lighting Standards) exists, by its own purpose clause, to preserve dark night skies by limiting sky glow, glare, energy waste, light trespass, and disruption to nocturnal ecosystems. It sorts fixtures into three classes: Class 1 (sales areas, building entries, outdoor dining, sports fields, sign lighting) must use 2,700 Kelvin or cooler-toned bulbs and be fully shielded; Class 2 (residential entries, garages, driveways, parking lots, security lighting) must use narrow-band amber LEDs and be fully shielded; Class 3 (architectural, flag, and landscape lighting) may be only partially shielded.
Table 603-1 caps cumulative lot output at 5,000 initial lumens for single-family residential, 2,000 lumens per unit (up to 10,000 total) for multi-family without Development Services Director approval, and 50,000 lumens per acre (up to 200,000 total) for commercial and industrial parcels. Class 1 and 3 lighting, and Class 2 parking-area lighting, must shut off by 10:00 PM or 30 minutes after close of business, whichever is later. Motion-sensor fixtures must be fully shielded and programmed to go dark within five minutes of motion stopping.
Mercury vapor fixtures are banned outright except for systems installed before 1950. New or modified fixtures need a building or electrical permit demonstrating compliance, reviewed by the Development Services Director.
Violations & Fines
Installing or operating an outdoor light fixture that violates Section 603 is a civil violation subject to a civil penalty, enforced under the general zoning enforcement procedures of Section 205. Each day of continued noncompliance is a separate offense with a maximum civil penalty of $750 for an individual or $10,000 for a business entity under Section 206.A.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yavapai County limit how much outdoor lighting I can install at my house?
Do I need a permit to add outdoor lights to my property?
Can businesses in unincorporated Yavapai County leave parking lot lights on all night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yavapai County
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