Valencia County, NM Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Outdoor lights must be fully shielded
- Covers
- Parking, loading, recreation, other outdoor lighting
- Prohibited
- Concentrated rays shining onto other properties
- Also barred
- Traffic-hazard light, colored traffic-like lights
- Max penalty
- $300 fine or 90 days jail
Summary
Outdoor lighting for parking, loading and recreation areas in unincorporated Valencia County must be fully shielded, or otherwise arranged, so concentrated light doesn't shine directly onto a neighboring property. Unshielded fixtures that trespass light onto another parcel are a Chapter 92 lighting nuisance the county can cite.
(A) Any outdoor light used for the illumination of parking areas, loading areas, recreation areas, or for any other private or public purpose shall be arranged in such manner as to meet the following conditions: (1) Lights shall be fully shielded or arranged in a manner so that concentrated rays of light will not shine directly onto other properties;
Full Breakdown
22(A) covers any outdoor light used for the illumination of parking areas, loading areas, recreation areas, or for any other private or public purpose, and requires those fixtures to be arranged to meet listed conditions. 22(A)(1), is the light-trespass rule itself: lights shall be fully shielded or arranged in a manner so that concentrated rays of light will not shine directly onto other properties. 22(A)(3) requires lights to stay steady, not blinking, flashing or fluttering, once they're 8 feet or more above ground level. 22(B): emergency lighting, warning-device lights (fire, law enforcement, ambulance), authorized public works lighting for highways, roads and irrigation canals, temporary holiday lighting displays, lighting required by other local, state or federal rules including the New Mexico Night Sky Protection Act, and county-authorized recreational lighting.
22(A)(1) applies to parking, loading and recreation-area lighting specifically, a homeowner whose neighbor runs an unshielded yard floodlight that spills across the property line has a direct citation to point to when reporting the trespassing light to Code Enforcement.
Violations & Fines
An outdoor light that isn't shielded and shines directly onto a neighboring property is a Chapter 92 lighting nuisance. § 92.99 punishes each violation with a fine of no more than $300, imprisonment of no more than 90 days, or both, and the county can seek injunctive abatement if the property owner doesn't correct the fixture after a complaint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's floodlight shine onto my yard?
Are holiday lights exempt from the shielding rule?
What other lighting rules apply besides shielding?
What happens if I report a trespassing light and the owner doesn't fix it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Valencia County
Compare Valencia County to another location·View the New Mexico outdoor lighting overview
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