Bonner County, ID Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Direction of light
- Downward and away from adjoining properties
- Fixture shielding
- Cutoff shields to prevent spillover into residential areas
- Freestanding fixture height
- Limited to fourteen feet
- Banned fixtures
- Mercury vapor fixtures and backlit awnings
- Storage facility rule
- No glare on adjacent properties or rights of way (§ 12-486 F)
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to six months jail, fine up to $1,000
Summary
In unincorporated Bonner County, Idaho, Revised Code § 12-453 F requires exterior lighting on commercial, multi-family, public and industrial development to be directed downward, fitted with cutoff shields to prevent spillover into residential areas, and aimed away from adjoining properties.
F. Lighting Standards: 1. Lighting shall be directed downward to the intended area to be lighted. All exterior lighting fixtures shall incorporate cutoff shields to prevent spillover into residential areas. Broadcast lighting fixtures that project lighting outward rather than downward are discouraged. Outdoor lighting shall be arranged so that the light is directed downward and away from adjoining properties. Temporary high intensity construction lights should be oriented so as to reduce or eliminate glare onto adjoining properties. 2. Freestanding light fixtures shall be limited to fourteen feet (14') in height. 3. Vehicular roadway and highway lighting shall be subject to the county requirements. 4. Mercury vapor light fixtures are prohibited. ... 6. Backlit awnings are prohibited.
Full Breakdown
The light trespass rule is Lighting Standards, subsection F of section 12-453 in the Bonner County zoning title. Standard 1 says lighting shall be directed downward to the intended area to be lighted, and all exterior lighting fixtures shall incorporate cutoff shields to prevent spillover into residential areas. Outdoor lighting shall be arranged so that the light is directed downward and away from adjoining properties. Temporary high intensity construction lights should be oriented so as to reduce or eliminate glare onto adjoining properties. Broadcast lighting fixtures that project lighting outward rather than downward are discouraged.
The subsection also sets fixture limits. Freestanding light fixtures are limited to fourteen feet (14') in height, mercury vapor light fixtures are prohibited, decorative miniature lighting strings cannot use bulbs larger than eleven (11) watts each, and backlit awnings are prohibited. The subsection closes by saying the lighting standards are encouraged for single-family uses in all zones, so a homeowner is invited to follow them but is not bound by the mandatory wording.
Section 12-451 sets who is covered: new development in the commercial and rural service center districts, industrial development where commercial uses and services are proposed, and all other commercial, multi-family, public and industrial development in other zoning districts. Under section 12-452 the applicant submits site and building plans through the applicable permit process detailed enough to show how the section 12-453 standards are met. The purpose clause in section 12-450 F states the goal: to preserve rural dark skies by reducing nighttime glare and light pollution.
A stricter version applies to rental warehouses, ministorage and boat storage in section 12-486 F: all lighting shall be shielded and downward directed so as to confine lighting to the premises and produce no glare on adjacent properties or rights of way. Sign lighting is handled in section 12-442, which bars beams from being directed upon a public thoroughfare, highway, sidewalk or navigable water.
Violations & Fines
Lighting that spills onto neighbors from covered development violates Title 12. Section 12-132 makes a violation a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in county jail, a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both, with each day a separate offense and investigation, abatement and prosecution costs recoverable. The Planning Director enforces under section 12-130 and takes written complaints under section 12-131.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's commercial lighting shine onto my property in unincorporated Bonner County, Idaho?
Do the lighting rules apply to single-family homes?
Which light fixtures are banned?
How do I report a light trespass problem?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bonner County
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