Jackson County, MS Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass (2026)

Jackson County's Zoning Ordinance requires outdoor lighting fixtures to be shielded and directed so that direct illumination does not extend beyond property lines, a standard enforced under MS Code §19-5-9 county nuisance abatement authority. Residential areas typically limit illumination at the property boundary to 0.5 foot-candles, while commercial districts near Highway 90 and I-10 interchanges may allow up to 1.0 foot-candle. Full cutoff fixtures are encouraged countywide and required within 1,000 feet of the Gulf of Mexico shoreline and on Horn Island, Petit Bois, and Round Island adjacent areas to comply with Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks sea turtle protection guidelines during nesting season (May 1 through October 31). Security floodlights aimed at neighboring homes are prohibited as public nuisances. Commercial properties along shipyard corridors (Ingalls) and the Pascagoula refinery must use shielded fixtures to avoid light pollution over the Pascagoula River estuary. Holiday decorative lighting is exempt from November 15 through January 15. Enforcement is complaint-driven through the Jackson County Code Enforcement Office.