Seminole County, FL Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Code part
- LDC Chapter 30, Part 15
- Spillover cap
- 0.5 foot-candle onto neighbor
- Shielding
- No light above horizontal plane
- Motion lights
- Full brightness max 30 seconds
- Report to
- Seminole County Code Enforcement
Summary
Seminole County's outdoor lighting code caps light spilling onto neighboring property at one-half (0.5) foot-candle. Motion-triggered lights may return to full brightness for no more than 30 seconds.
Illumination onto adjacent properties shall not exceed five-tenths (0.5) foot-candles... dimmed lights may return to full luminance for no more than thirty (30) seconds if triggered by a motion detector.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 1 | Land Development Code: Supplement 2).
Full Breakdown
The county's Land Development Code Part 15 (Outdoor Lighting Requirements) protects neighbors from light trespass. Illumination onto adjacent properties may not exceed five-tenths (0.5) foot-candles, and combined with the general rule that fixtures be shielded so no light escapes above the horizontal plane, this limits glare and spill onto abutting lots. Where dimmable lighting is used, dimmed lights may return to full luminance for no more than thirty (30) seconds if triggered by a motion detector. These standards apply to development in the unincorporated county; incorporated cities apply their own lighting codes. Neighbors bothered by spillover lighting can report it to Seminole County Code Enforcement.
Violations & Fines
Lighting that spills more than 0.5 foot-candle onto a neighbor is a Land Development Code violation subject to Code Enforcement correction orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can spill onto my neighbor's yard in Seminole County?
Are motion-sensor floodlights limited?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Seminole County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Seminole County to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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