Fort Bend County, TX Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Shielding threshold
- Luminaires over 1800 lumens
- Full shielding required
- Mercury vapor, HPS, metal halide, fluorescent
- Partial shielding only
- Xenon fixtures
- Aiming rule
- No light above the horizontal plane
- Cure period
- 90 days before fines apply
Summary
New outdoor luminaires over 1800 lumens in unincorporated Fort Bend County must be fully or partially shielded by lamp type and aimed so no light escapes above the horizontal plane into open sky.
Outdoor luminaires with lamps requiring full shielding according to Subsection 4.2 Paragraph (a) must be aimed so as to prevent direct radiation of light into the open sky at any angle above the horizontal plane. Lamps requiring partial shielding according to Subsection 4.2 Paragraph (a) must be aimed so as to minimize direct radiation of light into the open sky at any angle above the horizontal plane.
Full Breakdown
Fixtures with a total luminous flux of 1800 lumens or less need no shielding but must still be aimed so no part of the beam radiates into open sky above horizontal. Above 1800 lumens, most lamp types, mercury vapor, high pressure sodium, metal halide, fluorescent, halogen, low pressure sodium, must be fully shielded and aimed to prevent any direct light above horizontal; xenon fixtures only need partial shielding and must minimize (not eliminate) light above horizontal. Fort Bend County Engineering enforces the rule.
Violations & Fines
Written notice starts a 90-day cure period; unresolved violations can draw fines, with each additional day potentially counted as a separate offense, and after 120 days the County can suspend the responsible contractor's or developer's business activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all outdoor security lights in Fort Bend County need shielding?
What happens if a security light isn't compliant?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Bend County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Fort Bend County to another location·View the Texas outdoor lighting overview
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