Minneapolis, MN Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential line limit
- 0.5 footcandle at residential property line
- Curb/nonresidential limit
- 5 footcandles at curb or nonresidential line
- Lumen cap
- 2,000 lumens unless cutoff-shielded
- Exempt uses
- Street lighting and traffic signals exempt
- Athletic field exception
- Exempt 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Summary
Minneapolis caps outdoor lighting spillover at one-half footcandle onto the nearest residential property line and five footcandles at the street curb or a nonresidential line, with fixtures over 2,000 lumens required to be shielded.
Lighting fixtures shall be effectively arranged so as not to directly or indirectly cause illumination or glare in excess of one-half (½) footcandle measured at the closest property line of any permitted or conditional residential use, and five (5) footcandles measured at the street curb line or nonresidential property line nearest the light source.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
Minneapolis regulates light pollution through the zoning code's general performance standards, applicable citywide in every zoning district. Outdoor lighting fixtures may not cause illumination or glare above one-half footcandle at the nearest residential property line, or five footcandles at a nonresidential property line or street curb. Fixtures exceeding 2,000 lumens (about a 150-watt incandescent bulb) must be a cutoff type shielding the source from the closest residential property line, and facade or roof lighting must be aimed only onto the building surface. Publicly maintained street lighting, traffic signals, and institutional athletic-field lighting (7 a.m.-10 p.m.) are exempt. The zoning administrator enforces the standard.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the footcandle or lumen limits, or creating a lighting nuisance, is a zoning code violation; the zoning administrator can require fixture shielding, re-aiming, or other correction to bring the property into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can outdoor lighting be near a Minneapolis property line?
Are streetlights or ballfield lights exempt from Minneapolis's lighting limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minneapolis
Compare Minneapolis to another location·View the Minnesota outdoor lighting overview
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