Orange County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 7-9-67, Zoning Code
- Standard
- Confine direct rays to the premises
- Scope
- Unincorporated Orange County only
- Max penalty
- $2,500 fine or 6 months jail
- Applies to
- All zoning districts countywide
Summary
Unincorporated Orange County's zoning code requires all outdoor lighting to be designed and located so it confines direct rays to the property where it's installed, a light-trespass rule enforced under the Zoning Code with misdemeanor penalties for violations.
All lighting shall be designed and located so as to confine direct rays to the premises.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 157).
Full Breakdown
Section 7-9-67 of the Orange County Codified Ordinances Zoning Code states that all lighting shall be designed and located so as to confine direct rays to the premises: the county's light-trespass standard for unincorporated areas. It applies countywide to every zoning district's site development standards, from single-family lots to commercial centers, industrial parks and even battery energy storage facilities, which the code cross-references back to section 7-9-67. Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine and Orange County's other 34 incorporated cities enforce their own separate lighting rules; this section governs only unincorporated territory. Violations of the Zoning Code are prosecuted under section 7-9-130.3 as a misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
Violating the Zoning Code's lighting standard is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $2,500 fine, six months in county jail, or both, plus civil penalties up to $2,500 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply in Anaheim or Santa Ana?
What counts as a lighting violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange County
California rules heatmap·Compare Orange County to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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