Aiken County, SC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- Cone of light must miss property line
- Minimum pole height
- 12 feet (24-5.5(6))
- Residential spillover cap
- 0.5 footcandle at line (large retail)
- Commercial/street spillover cap
- 2.0 footcandles at line
- Screening requirement
- Evergreen buffer vs. headlight glare
Summary
Aiken County bars outdoor lighting from spilling onto a neighbor's land: Section 24-5.5(6) requires every fixture to be mounted so its cone of light misses every property line, and interior and display lighting must be designed to avoid becoming a nuisance to adjoining property under subsection (2).
(6)Mounting. Mounting shall ensure that the cone of light is not directed at any property line, and the minimum mounting height on any pole shall be twelve (12) feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 119).
Full Breakdown
5(6) sets the county's core light trespass rule: mounting shall ensure that the cone of light is not directed at any property line, and the minimum mounting height on any pole shall be twelve feet. That 12-foot floor keeps fixtures high enough to aim downward without washing across a fence line, and it applies to every pole-mounted light regardless of use. Subsection (2) reinforces the same intent for interior lighting used for display, security, or general illumination, requiring it to minimize nuisance and hazards to adjoining property and motorists, and subsection (1) applies the identical standard to architectural and decorative lighting visible from public streets.
5 footcandle at any property line next to land zoned or used residentially. 12(11) goes further for those projects, requiring parking areas and driveways facing residential land to be screened with evergreen shrubbery planted five feet on center and three feet high, or an equivalent berm, specifically to block glare from vehicle headlights. 0 footcandles of security lighting at ground level overnight even after the required post-closing dimming.
Violations & Fines
A neighbor reporting glare or spillover can bring it to the planning and development director, who administers Section 24-5.5 under the enforcement powers in Section 24-9.1: written notice to the property owner naming the violation, followed by an order to correct it, such as re-aiming or raising a fixture to the 12-foot minimum. For a covered large retail project, the director can also order fixture or shielding changes after occupancy if photometric compliance with the 0.5 and 2.0 footcandle spillover caps is not maintained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's parking lot lights shine directly onto my yard in Aiken County?
Does Aiken County require screening between a business parking lot and homes?
Are security lights exempt from Aiken County's light trespass rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aiken County
Compare Aiken County to another location·View the South Carolina outdoor lighting overview
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