Fresno, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Public-street spillover cap
- 1.0 foot-candle at street centerline
- Residential spillover cap
- 0.5 foot-candle onto residential property
- Single-unit pole height
- Cannot exceed home's fascia line
- Banned fixtures
- Mercury vapor, drop-down lenses, lasers
- Enforcing department
- DARM Department, City of Fresno
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor/infraction, FMC § 15-6305
Summary
Fresno's Development Code regulates outdoor artificial light under Municipal Code Section 15-2015 to protect the night sky and keep glare off neighboring parcels. New lighting, additions expanding floor area by 20 percent or 2,500 square feet, and any Discretionary Permit trigger review. Spillover is capped at one foot-candle onto a public street and half a foot-candle onto residential property, and mercury vapor lamps, drop-down lenses, and lasers are banned outright.
B.Control and Illumination of Outdoor Artificial Light. 1. Purpose. This subsection is intended to minimize outdoor artificial light that may have a detrimental effect on the environment, astronomical research, amateur astronomy, and enjoyment of the night sky. ... 5.Prohibited Lighting. The following types of exterior lighting are prohibited:a.Drop-down lenses;b.Mercury vapor lights; and,c.Searchlights, laser lights, or any other lighting that flashes, blinks, alternates, or moves. ... 8.Light Trespass. Lights shall be placed to deflect light away from adjacent properties and public streets, and to prevent adverse interference with the normal operation or enjoyment of surrounding properties.a.Direct or sky-reflected glare from floodlights shall not be directed into any other property or street.b.No light or combination of lights, or activity shall cast light exceeding one foot candle onto a public street, with the illumination level measured at the centerline of the street.c.No light, combination of lights, or activity shall cast light exceeding 0.5 foot candle onto a residentially zoned property, or any property containing residential uses.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 54).
Full Breakdown
Section 15-2015's purpose clause states the rule 'is intended to minimize outdoor artificial light that may have a detrimental effect on the environment, astronomical research, amateur astronomy, and enjoyment of the night sky' while cutting wasted energy and unwanted illumination of neighboring lots. The DARM Department applies it whenever a project proposes new lights, new development, a floor-area addition of 20 percent or 2,500 square feet (whichever is less, excluding single-unit dwellings and duplexes), added residential units, a Discretionary Permit, a use-classification change, or a condominium conversion.
' All fixtures must carry IESNA 'Cut Off' or 'Full Cut Off' shielding so they don't throw glare onto the right-of-way or adjoining land. Drop-down lenses, mercury vapor lamps, and any searchlight, laser, or light that flashes or moves are flatly prohibited. Street lighting, school and park athletic-field lights, state/federal-mandated safety lighting, and temporary construction or emergency lighting are exempt. The Director can approve alternate designs that achieve 'approximate equivalence' to the standard.
Violations & Fines
Section 15-2015 sits inside the Citywide Development Code, so a lighting installation that exceeds the foot-candle limits or uses a banned fixture is enforced the same as any other Chapter 15 violation: under Municipal Code Section 15-6305, Penalty for Violation, it is a misdemeanor the enforcing officer or City Attorney may instead charge as an infraction, with each day of noncompliance counted as a separate offense until the lighting is corrected or replaced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my new home need extra exterior lighting under Fresno's code?
Can my floodlight shine onto my neighbor's yard?
Are mercury vapor security lights still allowed in Fresno?
What lighting is exempt from the foot-candle limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fresno
California rules heatmap·Compare Fresno to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fresno County handle light trespass & shielding.