El Dorado County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 130.34.020, Outdoor Lighting Standards
- Core rule
- No direct light beyond the property line or right-of-way
- Grandfather clause
- Pre-existing lighting exempt until replaced or re-aimed
- Exempt uses
- Airport, emergency, flag, holiday, street lighting
- Temporary lighting
- Needs Administrative or Temporary Use Permit with spec sheet
Summary
Every outdoor light fixture in unincorporated El Dorado County must be shielded and aimed so no direct light crosses the property line or spills into the public right-of-way, per Section 130.34.020 of the Zoning Ordinance. The Planning and Building Department reviews new lighting for the standard, and Code Enforcement investigates neighbor glare complaints.
All outdoor lighting shall be located, adequately shielded, and directed such that no direct light falls outside the property line, or into the public right-of-way as illustrated in Figure 130.34.020.1 (Light Source Not Directly Visible Outside Property Perimeter) below in this Section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Section 130.34.020 of Chapter 130.34 (Outdoor Lighting) requires every fixture to be located, adequately shielded, and directed so that no direct light source is visible outside the property line, illustrated in the code's own diagram, Figure 130.34.020.1. The rule reaches beyond a simple no-glare standard: illumination is barred not just at the boundary line but also into the public right-of-way, covering spill onto sidewalks and roads as well as neighboring parcels.
Seven categories of lighting are carved out under Section 130.34.030: airport lighting needed for safe aircraft movement, law-enforcement and emergency lighting, public agency road and utility work lighting, U.S. flag illumination under the federal Flag Code, seasonal and holiday lighting, street lights, and temporary lighting approved through an Administrative or Temporary Use Permit application that must include fixture specification sheets showing lamp type, wattage, lumen output, and shielding.
Nonconforming fixtures installed before the chapter took effect can stay in place under Section 130.34.040, but only until they are replaced, re-aimed, or relocated, at which point they must meet the current shielding and property-line standard. Fixtures that throw glare toward a street in a way that could hazard drivers or cyclists must be replaced or redirected to meet full-cutoff requirements even without triggering a general upgrade.
Violations & Fines
The County treats a lighting fixture that spills light across the property line as a Zoning Ordinance violation, handled by the Planning and Building Department's Code Enforcement Division as a civil nuisance matter. A property owner receives a notice to correct, re-aim, or shield the offending fixture; unresolved violations can be referred for citation under the County's standard zoning-enforcement remedies, and continued noncompliance keeps the parcel out of compliance for any future building or lighting permit sign-off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my porch light have to be shielded?
Can I keep a floodlight I installed years ago?
Are holiday lights exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Dorado County
California rules heatmap·Compare El Dorado County to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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