Tacoma, WA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Limit
- 3 lux (0.3 foot-candles)
- Where measured
- residential parcel boundary line
- Applies to
- non-residential sites near R districts
- Code section
- TMC § 13.06.090J.3.a
Summary
Lighting on non-residential sites in Tacoma cannot exceed 3 lux at the property line of any adjacent residential parcel, measured at the brightest light source visible from that boundary.
Light trespass from sites in non-residential zoning districts shall not exceed 3 lux (0.3 foot candles) at parcel boundaries with residential zoning districts. This luminance value shall be measured at the eye in a plane perpendicular to the line-of-sight when looking at the brightest source in the field of view at any point on the property line of any residential parcel.
b. Residential light pollution. To ensure control of and to minimize glare, any lighting within 100 feet of an R District shall use luminaires which meet the Illuminating Engineering Society’s cutoff light distribution specification.
c. General light pollution. To control and minimize glare, all other luminaries for area and/or off-street parking shall meet the Illuminating Engineering Society’s semi-cutoff light distribution specification. Lighting shall be directed toward the site, with cutoff shields or other means, to prevent spillover glare to adjacent properties or vehicular traffic. Luminaires with a light source not greater than 1800 lumens (100 watt incandescent) are exempt from this requirement.
4. Landscaping buffers:
a. Applicability. This section is applicable per the thresholds for landscaping in TMC § 13.06.090B.
b.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4946110; v22 updated 2026-07-28).
Full Breakdown
Tacoma's zoning transition standards cap light trespass from non-residential sites at 3 lux (0.3 foot-candles) measured at any point along a residential parcel's boundary, reading the brightest fixture in the field of view at eye level. The rule sits inside the zoning code's transition standards, which exist to buffer residential districts from the bulk, activity, and glare of adjacent commercial and industrial development. It applies wherever a non-residential zoning district touches a residential one: a bright parking lot, loading dock, or sign floodlight next to a house is measured against this ceiling, not just industrial sites.
Violations & Fines
Enforced through Tacoma's land use permit review and code enforcement complaints; noncompliant lighting must be redirected, shielded, or reduced to meet the 3-lux limit at the residential boundary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can spill onto my property from a business next door in Tacoma?
Where is Tacoma's light trespass limit measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tacoma
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle light trespass & shielding.