Rutherford County, TN Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Light-trespass threshold
- 0.1 foot-candles at property line
- Glare limit
- 0.5 foot-candles at boundary
- Shielding required
- Light kept on the lot
- Governing rule
- Zoning Ordinance Section 1106
- Fallback remedy
- Private nuisance claim
Summary
The Rutherford County Zoning Ordinance defines light trespass as light from an outdoor luminaire that shines beyond the property at a brightness exceeding 0.1 foot-candles at the property line, and its glare standards cap illumination at 0.5 foot-candles at a residential boundary.
Light Trespass: Any light emitted by an outdoor luminaire that shines directly beyond the property on which the luminaire is installed, or indirectly shines beyond the property on which the luminaire is installed at a brightness (luminance) that exceeds 0.1 foot-candles at the property line.
Full Breakdown
Rutherford County addresses a neighbor's spillover lighting through its zoning definitions and Section 1106 glare performance standards. The ordinance defines Light Trespass as any light emitted by an outdoor luminaire that shines directly beyond the property on which the luminaire is installed, or indirectly shines beyond it, at a brightness that exceeds 0.1 foot-candles at the property line. Section 1106 further requires that site lighting be shielded to keep directly emitted light within the emitting lot, and that glare not cause illumination over 0.5 foot-candles at a residential district boundary or street right-of-way line. Complaints go to the county Planning/Building Codes staff for unincorporated land; in Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or La Vergne, the city applies its own lighting rules.
Violations & Fines
Lighting exceeding these thresholds is a zoning violation the county can require corrected; such violations are misdemeanors punishable as other misdemeanors and fined as prescribed by Tennessee statutes. Severe cases may also support a private nuisance action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as light trespass here?
Who do I contact about a neighbor's floodlight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rutherford County
Compare Rutherford County to another location·View the Tennessee outdoor lighting overview
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