Dayton, OH Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Fixture standard
- Full cut-off/shielded required
- Light trespass cap
- 0.5 footcandles at property line
- Security lighting
- May stay on, minimum level only
- Pole height cap
- 20-28 ft, depending on district
Summary
Dayton's zoning code requires outdoor lighting, including security lighting, to be full cut-off/shielded, caps light trespass at 0.5 footcandles at the property line, and limits after-hours lighting near residential districts to the minimum needed for safety or security.
All outdoor lighting fixtures regulated according to this sub-section, including but not limited to those used for parking areas, buildings, building overhangs, canopies, signs, billboards, displays and landscaping, shall be full cut-off type fixtures... Light trespass over a property line shall be limited to no more than 0.5 footcandles at the property line. All on-site lighting of buildings, lawns, parking areas and signs shall be designed so as not to shine onto any adjacent residential property or building, or to cause glare onto any public street or vehicle thereon.
Full Breakdown
Dayton R.C.G.O. § 150.420.3(C) requires "all outdoor lighting fixtures," including those for parking areas, buildings, canopies, signs, and landscaping, to be "full cut-off type fixtures," with shielding installed so light projects below a horizontal plane through the fixture's lowest light-emitting point. Light trespass across a property line is capped at 0.5 footcandles, and fixtures may not shine onto adjacent residential property or cause glare on a public street. Where a non-residential use abuts a residential district, non-essential lighting must go dark after business hours: only lighting needed for safety or security may stay on, and even then must be reduced to the minimum level necessary.
Violations & Fines
Fixtures that aren't full cut-off, or that push light trespass past 0.5 footcandles at a residential property line, violate § 150.420.3 and are enforced through the Zoning Administrator's site-design-plan review, independent of the fixture's stated purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dayton require shielded security lights?
Can security lights stay on all night near a residential district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dayton
Compare Dayton to another location·View the Ohio outdoor lighting overview
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