Rockville, MD Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- Motion lights exempt if properly aimed
- Lumen cap
- 6,000 lumens on single-unit lots
- Shutoff
- Off within 5 min. of no motion
- Aiming test
- Bulb not visible 5 ft. above boundary
Summary
Motion-activated security lights in Rockville are exempt from full-cutoff lighting rules only if aimed so the bulb isn't visible five feet above the property line, with added lumen and shutoff limits on single-unit lots.
Motion activated light fixtures located as follows: (i) On lots developed with single-unit detached dwellings when such lighting fixtures emit initial lighting levels of 6,000 lumens or less, are extinguished within five (5) minutes upon cessation of motion and are aimed such that the lamp or light bulb portion of the lighting fixture is not visible at five (5) feet above the property boundary; or …
Full Breakdown
The Manual otherwise requires full cut-off fixtures and strict downward aiming, but motion-activated security lights get a conditional exemption. On single-unit detached dwelling lots, the fixture must emit 6,000 lumens or less, shut off within five minutes after motion stops, and be aimed so the bulb itself isn't visible five feet above the property line. On other lots, the same visibility-at-five-feet aiming test applies without the lumen or timer limits. Meeting these conditions is what keeps a motion-activated light out of the Manual's general shielding and cutoff requirements enforced through Zoning § 25.8.7.1(a).
Violations & Fines
A motion light that fails the aiming or lumen/timer conditions loses its exemption and must meet the Manual's full shielding and cutoff standards; noncompliance is enforceable under the Zoning Ordinance's Article 19 Enforcement process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are motion-activated security lights regulated in Rockville?
What happens if a security light doesn't meet these conditions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
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