Providence, RI Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

Under Section 1301(D) of the Providence Zoning Ordinance, every luminaire on a property must be a "cut off luminaire" with a cutoff angle of 75 degrees or less, and it must be designed to completely shield the light source from an observer three and one-half feet above the ground at any point along an abutting lot line. Fixtures exceeding that angle or left unshielded are barred outright under Section 1301(F), and light spilling onto neighboring parcels can't create glare at the lot line either. Freestanding or building-mounted cutoff luminaires also max out at 25 feet in height. Non-residential uses and multi-family/rowhouse dwellings must submit a lighting plan with photometric data showing footcandle readings at every lot line; single-family, two-family, three-family, and rowhouse dwellings are exempt from the plan requirement but still have to meet the shielding and cutoff standards.