Mount Pleasant, SC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 156.976(A)(2); Table 156.976-3
- Backlight defined as
- Light trespass onto neighbors
- Rule of thumb
- Closer to lot line = lower max rating
- Tightest limit
- B0 (Zone 1) / B1 (Zone 2) near line
- Field-adjustable aiming mounts
- Prohibited
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine / 30 days jail
Summary
To stop outdoor lighting from spilling onto neighboring lots, the Town of Mount Pleasant caps how much backlight a fixture may emit based on its distance from the property line. Town Code § 156.976 defines backlight as the component that creates light trespass onto adjacent lots and streets, and Table 156.976-3 sets tighter backlight ratings the closer a luminaire sits to a lot line.
(A) Backlight, uplight, and glare (BUG) ratings. (1) Generally. ... Each component is assigned a value between zero and five, with lower numbers indicating a luminaire emits less light in a given direction. ... (2) Backlight. Backlight creates light trespass onto adjacent lots and streets. ... Lighting Zone (LZ) LZ 1 LZ 2 ... Backlight Rating (max.) 2 or more mounting heights from lot line B4 B5 ... Less than 0.5 mounting height to lot line and ideally B0 B1 oriented1
Full Breakdown
976(A)(2), part of Chapter 156's exterior lighting subchapter, states plainly that backlight 'creates light trespass onto adjacent lots and streets,' one of three components, alongside uplight and glare, in the Backlight-Uplight-Glare (BUG) rating every outdoor luminaire must carry. 976-3 scales the maximum allowable backlight rating by both a fixture's distance from the lot line and its orientation, across the town's two lighting zones: a luminaire two or more mounting heights from the lot line may reach B4 in Lighting Zone 1 or B5 in Lighting Zone 2, while an ideally-oriented fixture within half a mounting height of the line is held to a maximum of B0 in Zone 1 or B1 in Zone 2.
The table defines 'ideally oriented' as mounted with the backlight portion of the light output perpendicular and directed toward the lot line; a fixture that is not ideally oriented is held to stricter glare limits as well. 976(B) requires every luminaire be installed to meet its BUG rating for its lighting zone or better, and it bans luminaires with field-adjustable aiming mounts outright. 966(C). The Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Department administers these standards, adopted in the town's 1-14-2025 zoning rewrite.
Violations & Fines
Installing a fixture that exceeds its permitted backlight rating for its mounting height and lot-line distance, or one with a prohibited field-adjustable aiming mount, violates § 156.976 and is enforced as a Chapter 156 zoning violation under §§ 156.1576-156.1577: a misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $500 and/or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, each day a separate offense. The Zoning Administrator issues written notice with a minimum 15-business-day cure period before further action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "backlight" mean in Mount Pleasant's lighting code?
Can my neighbor's parking lot lights point into my yard?
Can a business adjust its light fixtures after installation to aim them differently?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
Compare Mount Pleasant to another location·View the South Carolina 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 Charleston County handle light trespass & shielding.