Monterey County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- unobtrusive lighting, no off-site glare (§21.63.020)
- Enforced by
- Director of Planning, before construction permit issues
- Exemptions
- navigation, seasonal, solar-path, emergency & historic lighting
- Commercial extra step
- licensed engineer's photometric study (§21.18.070)
- Scope
- unincorporated, non-coastal county only (§21.02.010)
Summary
Every new development in unincorporated Monterey County that adds exterior lighting must follow the county's Design Guidelines for Exterior Lighting, adopted under Section 21.63.020 to implement General Plan Policy LU-1.13. Fixtures must be unobtrusive, control off-site glare and light only the intended area, with the Director of Planning enforcing compliance before any construction permit is issued.
21.63.020 - Design Guidelines for Exterior Lighting. A.The Board of Supervisors shall by resolution adopt, and may from time to time amend, design guidelines for exterior lighting, which shall be known as the Design Guidelines for Exterior Lighting. The purpose of these guidelines is to implement Policy LU-1.13 of the 2010 General Plan that requires exterior lighting to be unobtrusive, reduce off-site glare, and light only an intended area....C.For any new development that includes exterior lighting, all exterior lighting shall be consistent with the Design Guidelines for Exterior Lighting.D.The following types of lighting are exempt from Subsection C above:1.Navigational lighting (airports, heliports, communication towers);2.Seasonal lighting;3.Solar path lighting;4.Temporary lighting for activities of a limited duration such as emergency activities, construction, and agricultural harvesting;5.Lighting for national monuments and national parks; and6.Lighting for national, state or locally registered historic buildings or structures to the extent that the lighting contributes to the historic attributes of the building or structure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
" Subsection (C) makes compliance mandatory for any new development that includes exterior lighting. Six categories are exempt under Subsection (D): navigational lighting for airports, heliports and communication towers; seasonal lighting; solar path lighting; temporary lighting for emergencies, construction and agricultural harvesting; lighting for national monuments and parks; and lighting for registered historic buildings where it contributes to their historic character. 010, the Big Sur coastline is regulated separately under the parallel Title 20 coastal lighting standards, and the incorporated cities of Salinas, Monterey, Seaside, Marina, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove and King City are not covered by this chapter.
Violations & Fines
Exterior lighting installed without Director of Planning approval, or that departs from the adopted Design Guidelines, is a use established contrary to Title 21: Section 21.84.040(A) makes it a misdemeanor, chargeable as an infraction at the prosecutor's discretion. Enforcement officers may issue a stop-work order under Section 21.84.090(G) or record a Notice of Violation with the County Recorder under Section 21.84.100 until the fixture is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Monterey County limit glare and light spilling onto neighboring parcels?
What lighting is exempt from the glare rules?
Do commercial projects face a stricter lighting review?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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