Guilford County, NC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential lot-line cap
- 0.5 footcandles
- Commercial lot-line cap
- 2.0 footcandles
- Industrial lot-line cap
- 3.0 footcandles
- Curfew near homes
- Off by 10 PM, security lights excepted
- Fully exempt
- Single- and two-family homes on own lots
- Applies to lighting installed
- After December 15, 2011
Summary
Guilford County caps outdoor light spilling across a property line at 0.5 footcandles next to residential land, 1.0 for civic uses, 2.0 for commercial, and 3.0 for industrial, and requires commercial and industrial lighting near homes to shut off by 10 p.m. except for security lighting, under UDO Section 6.3.E.
1. Hours of Illumination Commercial and industrial uses - both of which are adjacent to existing residential development - shall extinguish all exterior lighting--except lighting necessary for security or emergency purposes--by 10:00 P.M. ...
4. Maximum Illumination Levels All outdoor lighting and indoor lighting visible from outside shall be designed and located so that the maximum illumination measured in footcandles at ground level at a lot line shall not exceed the standards in Table 6-3-2 below:
Residential use or vacant land zoned residential 0.5 Civic, Educational & Institutional 1.0 Commercial, Mixed Use or Vacant Land 2.0 Industrial Use 3.0
Full Breakdown
B, and reaches both outdoor fixtures and indoor lighting visible from outside. except lighting necessary for security or emergencies, defined narrowly as the minimum lighting needed to illuminate entry points, walkways or outdoor storage; motion-sensor activation is encouraged for that security lighting. 5 footcandle cap for parking lots. C, including temporary events and holiday displays, bona fide farms and voluntary agricultural districts, FAA-required aviation safety lights, motion-activated security lights running 15 minutes or less, street lighting, and single-family or two-family dwellings on their own lots. G if it performs as well as the standard.
Violations & Fines
A fixture that exceeds the lot-line footcandle cap or stays lit past the 10 p.m. cutoff is a UDO violation enforced under Sections 10.04 through 10.06: the county issues a Notice of Violation, and unresolved cases draw civil penalties from $50 up to $500 by the fourth offense, plus possible misdemeanor prosecution under G.S. 14-4 carrying up to a $500 fine or 30 days in jail; a property owner can appeal the Notice to the Board of Adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my house's porch light have to meet the footcandle limits?
What is the lot-line light limit next to a house in Guilford County?
Can a store keep its parking lot lights on all night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Guilford County
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