Sioux Falls, SD Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Shielding trigger
- >2,220 lumens within 150 ft
- Max fixture height
- 28 ft near residential property
- Light trespass cap
- 3 foot-candles at property line
- Banned light source
- Low-pressure sodium lamps
- Grandfathered
- Fixtures installed before 9/28/2006
Summary
Sioux Falls requires fully shielded, cutoff fixtures for security lighting and other outdoor lights exceeding 2,220 lumens within 150 feet of residential property or a street right-of-way, capping fixture height and light trespass under the city's zoning ordinance.
Fully shielded (cutoff) light fixtures shall be required when luminaires are greater than 2,220 lumens and located within 150 feet of all DD and AD forms, or when luminaires are greater than 2,220 lumens and located within 150 feet of a street right-of-way.
3. Canopy glare. Canopy lights shall contain fully shielded (cutoff) light fixtures to prevent glare onto adjacent property or street rights-of-way, except for focus lighting.
4. Light color. Low-pressure sodium light sources have low color rendition and are not permitted light sources.
(c) Exemptions, amendments, and nonconforming lighting.
(1) Exemptions. The following outdoor lighting fixtures are exempt from these lighting standards:
A. Outdoor recreation facilities.
B. Illuminated flags or statues.
C. Airport runways.
D. Telecommunication towers.
E. Broadcast towers.
F. Historic period lighting in historic districts.
(2) Amending approved lighting plans: lamp or fixture substitution. Should any outdoor lighting fixture or the type of light source therein be changed after the permit has been issued, a change request must be submitted to the zoning officer for his or her approval, together with adequate information to assure compliance with this Code, which must be received prior to substitution.
(3) Nonconforming lighting. All outdoor lighting fixtures lawfully
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-135: Current through local ordinance 54-26, passed 7-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Sioux Falls Zoning Ordinance § 160.491, security lighting is explicitly classified as a regulated 'outdoor lighting fixture.' Fully shielded, cutoff fixtures are mandatory once a luminaire exceeds 2,220 lumens and sits within 150 feet of a DD/AD form or a street right-of-way. Fixture height is capped at 28 feet above grade within 150 feet of residential property (38 feet farther out), light trespass may not exceed 3 foot-candles measured at the property line, and low-pressure sodium bulbs are banned outright. Swapping fixtures after permit issuance requires zoning-officer approval; fixtures installed before September 28, 2006 are grandfathered.
Violations & Fines
Violations default to the city's general penalty: up to a $500 fine, 30 days in county jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense under § 10.999.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sioux Falls require security lights to be shielded?
How tall can a security light pole be near homes?
What happens if I swap in a brighter security light bulb?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sioux Falls
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