Kansas City, MO Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Shielding trigger
- over 4,050 lumens
- Semi-cutoff limit
- max 2.5% light above horizontal
- Spillover onto R-zoned land
- 0.186 foot-candle max
- Spillover onto right-of-way
- 1.0 foot-candle max
- Exempt
- homes with under 4 units
Summary
Outdoor lights over 4,050 lumens must be at least partially shielded so light doesn't spill above the horizontal plane of the fixture.
All outdoor light sources that produce more than 4,050 lumens must be at least partially shielded. For the purposes of this provision, "partially-shielded" or "semi-cutoff" means an outdoor light fixture shielded so that no more than 2.5% of the light emitted directly from the lamp or indirectly from the fixture is projected at angles above a horizontal plane extending from the bottom of the fixture.
Partially Shielded, Semi-Cutoff Fixture
88-430-05-B. Light fixtures mounted under gas station canopies must be completely recessed into the canopy with flat lenses that are translucent and completely flush with the bottom surface (ceiling) of the canopy.
88-430-05-C. SPILLOVER LIGHT
Spillover light may not exceed 0.186 foot-candle onto R-zoned property or 1.0 foot-candle onto public rights-of-way measured at grade along the property line.
88-430-05-D. GLARE
All outdoor lighting must be reflected away from residences and streets.
(Ord. No. 170360, § 1, 6-15-2017)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 139 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Kansas City's zoning code requires any outdoor light source producing more than 4,050 lumens to be at least partially shielded. A fixture counts as partially shielded (or "semi-cutoff") only if no more than 2.5% of its light, direct from the lamp or indirect from the fixture, is projected above a horizontal plane drawn from the bottom of the fixture. Flashing, revolving, or intermittent lighting visible from a property line or street is separately banned, though motion-activated security lights are excluded from that ban. Spillover onto neighboring residential (R-zoned) property is capped at 0.186 foot-candle, and onto public rights-of-way at 1.0 foot-candle, both measured at grade along the property line. Houses with fewer than 4 dwelling units are exempt from the shielding article entirely.
Violations & Fines
Enforced by the City Planning and Development Department through the site/development plan review and certificate-of-occupancy process; unshielded or over-bright fixtures can hold up final certificate of occupancy and are a zoning code violation subject to enforcement under § 88-615.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do single-family homes in Kansas City need shielded security lights?
Can a motion-activated security light flash or strobe?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kansas City
Compare Kansas City to another location·View the Missouri outdoor lighting overview
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
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