Weber County, UT Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Core prohibition
- No light trespass onto neighboring lots
- Shielding standard
- Fully opaque, no perforations/slits
- Extra shielding
- County can require added elements
- Trespass definition
- Set in Title 101, Chapter 2
- Permit review
- Photometric plans can be required
Summary
Weber County's outdoor lighting code bars placing any light source at a location, angle, or height that trespasses onto a neighbor's property. Fixtures that already meet the general shielding rules can still be required to add extra shielding elements if needed to stop their light from crossing the property line.
No artificial light source shall be placed at a location, angle, or height that creates a light trespass, as defined in Title 101 Chapter 2 and graphically depicted in Section 108-16-11. ... To ensure light does not trespass on neighboring property, light fixtures that comply with the shielding provisions of this section may also require additional or extended shielding elements to further mitigate its angle of light travel to ensure the direct artificial light source does not trespass on neighboring property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: ?).
Full Breakdown
Sec 108-16-3 General Standards folds light trespass control into the county's broader shielding requirements. Every outdoor light must be fully shielded and downward directed, and the code specifically forbids placing a fixture at any location, angle, or height that creates a light trespass, using the definition set out in Title 101, Chapter 2, and illustrated in Sec 108-16-11. The shielding itself must be completely opaque, so light escapes only through the bottom of the fixture; translucent, perforated, or slitted shields do not satisfy the rule.
Critically, meeting the basic shielding standard is not automatically enough: the code allows the county to require additional or extended shielding elements on a fixture that otherwise complies, if that extra shielding is needed to further mitigate the angle of light travel and stop the direct light source from crossing onto a neighboring property. Sec 108-16-6 requires any land use or building permit application to include lighting plans showing fixture locations, heights, and specifications, and the Land Use Authority can demand photometric schematics and a qualified professional's attestation of compliance before approving a project with light sources near a property line.
Violations & Fines
Sec 108-16-8 treats a light source placed, installed, or maintained so that it trespasses onto adjacent property as a violation of Chapter 108-16, along with any unapproved alteration of previously approved lighting. Section 102-4-4 governs the penalty: a written notice gives the property owner 14 days to correct the trespassing light, after which administrative citations of $100, then $200, then $400 per violation per day apply for repeated or unresolved violations, with court enforcement and a lien available if fines are not paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my Weber County neighbor's outdoor lighting shine into my yard?
What counts as light trespass under Weber County's code?
Does a shielded light automatically comply with Weber County's trespass rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weber County
Compare Weber County to another location·View the Utah outdoor lighting overview
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