Loudoun County, VA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

02 is the county's general exterior-lighting standard, applying to new and replacement fixtures on essentially every use type, aside from residential accessory lighting and a handful of exemptions such as holiday lights, pool lighting, and motion sensors that cut off within 5 minutes. Under subsection B, every regulated fixture, including lighting installed specifically for security, must be full cutoff, meaning the light source sits recessed behind or level with the shield so no light is emitted above the horizontal plane, verified by manufacturer certification or an International Dark-Sky Association Fixture Seal of Approval.

Pole-mounted fixtures also need side shielding below the bulb except at driveways and intersections, and every fixture must be aimed downward and inward toward the interior of the property rather than toward neighboring lots or the street. 25 foot-candles above background light levels at the lot line of any adjacent parcel or road right-of-way, documented on a photometric plan submitted with the permit application. Maximum mounting height is 25 feet unless a use-specific standard in Chapter 4 sets something different, and all new luminaires must be rated 3000K or lower correlated color temperature. 25 foot-candle standards.