Forsyth County, NC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Home-to-home trespass
- No specific ordinance
- Non-residential trespass
- Shielded, no spillover required
- Sign light
- Shielded from residential districts
- Remedy for homes
- Private nuisance action
- Authority
- Winston-Salem/Forsyth County UDO
Summary
Forsyth County and Winston-Salem regulate light trespass only from non-residential property, requiring lighting to be shielded so it does not spill onto neighbors. Glare from one home onto another is not covered by a specific ordinance and is treated as a private nuisance.
Illumination. Any externally illuminated sign shall be shielded so as not to cast direct light onto any residential district.
Full Breakdown
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County UDO's outdoor-lighting and sign-illumination standards apply to non-residential sites: commercial, office, institutional and multifamily lighting must be shielded and directed so it does not cast glare or spill light onto adjoining residential districts, and externally illuminated signs must be shielded so as not to cast direct light onto a residential district. The UDO contains no provision governing light that trespasses from one residential (single-family) property to another, so a homeowner bothered by a neighbor's floodlight generally cannot cite a county code section; it is a civil nuisance issue. Inside a town, that town's ordinances may add local rules, check with the specific municipality.
Violations & Fines
A non-residential property casting glare or unshielded light onto neighbors can be ordered to correct the fixture under the UDO; residential-to-residential trespass has no specific code penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
My neighbor's floodlight shines in my window: can the county help?
What about light from a business next door?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
Compare Forsyth County to another location·View the North Carolina outdoor lighting overview
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