Augusta-Richmond County, GA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing provision
- Zoning Ord. § 3-A-4(4)-(5)
- Aiming rule
- Security lights must aim at target area
- Sensor lights
- Can't glare onto neighbors or ROW
- Max penalty
- $500 fine and/or 60 days jail
- Excluded cities
- Blythe and Hephzibah have separate codes
Summary
Augusta-Richmond County's zoning ordinance requires security lighting to be aimed at the target area, not neighboring properties, and bars sensor-triggered lights from glaring or activating off-site.
4. Security lighting must be directed toward the targeted area, and not adjacent properties. 5. Sensor activated lighting must be located in such a manner as to prevent direct glare and lighting into properties of others or into a public right-of-way, and the light must not be triggered by activity off the property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
Under the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance incorporated into the Augusta-Richmond County Code at Sec. 8-5-1, outdoor lighting standards in Section 3-A-4 require security lighting to be directed toward the area it protects, not onto adjacent properties. Sensor-activated fixtures must be positioned to prevent direct glare and light trespass onto other properties or the public right-of-way, and motion sensors cannot be triggered by activity occurring off the property being lit. The rules apply countywide, including Augusta's urbanized core, but not inside the separately incorporated cities of Blythe and Hephzibah, which maintain their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
Violations of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance's lighting standards are punishable under Section 32-4 by a fine up to $500 and/or up to 60 days in jail, tried in Magistrate's Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Augusta-Richmond County regulate how security lights are aimed?
Does this rule apply in Blythe or Hephzibah?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Augusta-Richmond County
Compare Augusta-Richmond County to another location·View the Georgia outdoor lighting overview
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