Durham, NC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Full cut-off height (50+ ft from residential)
- 30 feet above grade maximum
- Full cut-off height (within 50 ft of residential)
- 15 feet above grade maximum
- Storage-area (security) lighting range
- 0.5 to 10.0 foot-candles on pavement
- Applies to
- Nonresidential and multifamily development only
- Civil penalty
- Up to $500 per violation (Sec. 15.4.4)
- Nonconforming cutoff date
- Fixtures installed before June 12, 2000 exempt
Summary
Durham's Unified Development Ordinance caps directional and full cut-off security lighting at 30 feet above grade when the fixture sits 50 feet or more from a residential lot line, dropping to 15 feet within that buffer. Fixtures must be designed so no light escapes above a horizontal plane, and storage-area security lighting on nonresidential and multifamily sites is separately capped at 10.0 foot-candles on the pavement below.
C. Full-Cutoff Lighting
The maximum height for directional or full cut-off lighting fixtures (fixtures designed to ensure that no light is emitted above a horizontal line parallel to the ground) shall be:
Thirty feet above grade if located at least 50 feet from a residential property line; and
Fifteen feet above grade if located within 50 feet of a residential property line.
Full Breakdown
4 of Durham's UDO, jointly administered by Durham City-County Planning for both the city and the unincorporated county, sets the technical lighting standards, and Sec. C gives the shielding and height rule for directional and full cut-off fixtures: the category covering security lighting over storage areas, parking lots and building entrances. ' Where such a fixture sits at least 50 feet from a residential property line it may reach 30 feet above grade; within 50 feet of a residential line the cap drops to 15 feet.
Non-directional fixtures are capped at 15 feet regardless of distance and must be translucent or baffled. Under the companion foot-candle table in Sec. 0 foot-candles measured on the pavement. The rules apply to nonresidential and multifamily development under Sec. weekends) outside the UC, UC-2 and DD districts. Fixtures installed before June 12, 2000 may remain as nonconforming, but any replacement or expansion must meet the current standard.
Violations & Fines
Durham City-County Planning enforces Sec. 7.4.3 through the UDO's general enforcement article: after a notice of violation, the Planning Director or designee may issue a citation carrying a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation under Sec. 15.4.4, with unpaid penalties collectible as a civil debt. A continuing violation, an unshielded or oversized fixture left in place, can draw a separate daily penalty, and the city may condition or withhold other permits until the fixture is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a security light be near my Durham property line?
Does Durham require shielded fixtures for storage-area or parking-lot security lighting?
Do these lighting rules apply to a single-family home in Durham?
What happens if a business in Durham installs an unshielded security light?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Durham
Compare Durham to another location·View the North Carolina outdoor lighting overview
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