Palm Beach County, FL Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential light trespass cap
- 0.33 foot-candles at property line
- Non-residential light trespass cap
- 3.0 foot-candles at property line
- Fixture type required
- Full-cutoff (IESNA standard)
- Most commercial lighting off by
- 11:00 p.m.
- Applies only in
- Unincorporated Palm Beach County
Summary
Unincorporated Palm Beach County caps light spilling onto neighboring land at 0.33 foot-candles at residential property lines and 3.0 foot-candles at non-residential lines, measured six feet above grade, under the county land development code.
The maximum illumination at the property line of an adjoining residential parcel or public R-O-W is 0.33 horizontal and vertical foot-candles measured at six feet above grade level. Said illumination likewise measured at the property line of an adjoining non-residential parcel, shall not exceed 3.0 horizontal and vertical foot-candles measured at six feet above grade level. [Ord. 2005-041] c. Security Lighting and Time Restrictions 1) Full-cutoff luminaires shall be used for all security lighting and dusk-to-dawn area lighting. [Ord. 2005-041] 2) Outdoor illumination, including but not limited to, areas used for outdoor sales and display, eating, parking, assembly, service, storage of equipment and freight, loading and unloading,
Unified Land Development Code Supplement No. 32 (Printed 10/25)
Full Breakdown
The Unified Land Development Code's Nuisances chapter regulates outdoor lighting countywide in unincorporated Palm Beach County. Fixtures must be full-cutoff (zero percent of lumens above 90 degrees from nadir), light trespass at an adjoining property line is capped at 0.33 fc residential / 3.0 fc non-residential, and most commercial-area lighting (parking, loading, sales, dining) must shut off within one hour of closing or by 11:00 p.m. Single-family, townhouse, and small multifamily lighting is exempt from the detailed standards but must still be aimed away from neighbors and streets. This chapter does not reach Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, or the county's other 34 incorporated municipalities, which set their own lighting rules.
Violations & Fines
PBC Code Enforcement can treat noncompliant outdoor lighting as a public nuisance and seek injunctive relief through the County Attorney; commercial permits require a sealed photometric plan and a signed compliance certificate before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply inside Boca Raton or West Palm Beach?
Are single-family homes subject to the standards?
What triggers a photometric plan?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Beach County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Palm Beach County to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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