Putnam County, FL Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

Section 45-602 of the Putnam County Code, in the Land Development Code's lighting division, is the county's general light-trespass rule and it applies on top of the fixture-type standard in section 45-601. The generally clause requires all lighting countywide to be designed, hooded, or shielded so the illumination source itself does not create glare or a nuisance on any adjoining property, and does not unreasonably interfere with a neighbor's lawful use and enjoyment of their land. The section then lists specific standards. Communication-tower lighting required for aviation safety is exempt as long as it meets FAA rules, and public roadway lighting is exempt from the light-trespass requirements entirely.

Directional fixtures, defined by name as floodlights, spotlights, sign lights and area lights, must be installed and aimed so they illuminate only the intended task and never shine directly onto a neighboring property or a roadway. Building facade lighting and sports lighting, along with any other use of floodlights, must carry glare shielding, either external or internal shields, specifically to cut light trespass and light pollution rather than just brightness. Because the rule is written around the illumination source and its aim rather than a lumens ceiling, an installer complies by controlling where the beam physically points and whether it is shielded, not by hitting a numeric brightness limit.

A homeowner or business whose floodlight spills across a property line is out of compliance even if the fixture itself would be legal on its own parcel, because the standard is trespass onto the adjoining land, not fixture wattage.