Moorpark, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 17.30.050
- Spillover limit
- 1 foot-candle beyond property line
- Plans required
- Commercial/industrial, 20+ parking spaces
- Banned fixtures
- Flood lights, unshielded pack lighting
Summary
Moorpark bans outdoor lighting that creates glare or spills beyond the property line, along with unshielded flood lights and unpermitted fixtures citywide.
The following types of lighting shall be prohibited within the city:
A. Any outdoor lighting system erected, installed, modified or reconstructed without proper plans and permit approvals;
B. Flashing, alternating, blinking or moving lights, other than traffic or hazard lights or those permitted under the sign regulations contained in Chapter 17.40;
C. Unshielded pack lighting and areawide flood lighting;
D. High intensity discharge mercury vapor security lights in other than rural residential or open space/agricultural zones;
E. Searchlights or laser lights used on an ongoing basis for the purpose of commercial advertising;
F. Drop down lens, except where the lenses are clear, nondiffusing, and do not permit viewing of the lamp at or above the horizontal plane located at the bottom of the fixture;
G. Any lighting that causes glare or spillover as defined by this chapter. (Ord. 515 § 10, 2023)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4978490; v10 updated 2026-07-01).
Full Breakdown
Moorpark Municipal Code § 17.30.050 prohibits several categories of outdoor lighting citywide: any system installed without approved plans and permits, unshielded pack lighting and areawide flood lighting, most mercury-vapor security lights outside rural residential or agricultural zones, flashing or moving lights other than approved signs, and any fixture that produces glare, light directly viewable off the property it serves, or spillover, defined in § 17.30.020 as illumination exceeding one foot-candle beyond the property boundary. Commercial, industrial, and larger residential projects must also submit an engineer-certified lighting plan with photometric calculations before the city issues a building permit.
Violations & Fines
Installing flood lighting, unshielded fixtures, or any light that glares or spills onto a neighboring property without an approved lighting plan violates § 17.30.050 and can be cited as a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as prohibited glare under Moorpark's lighting code?
Do homeowners need a lighting plan for a security light?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moorpark
California rules heatmap·Compare Moorpark to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle light trespass & shielding.