St. Johns County, FL Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Trespass rule
- Bright light causing glare onto neighbors barred
- Boundary test
- Noncompliant regardless of footcandle reading
- Canopy lighting
- Must be recessed or cut-off fixtures
- Sports lighting curfew
- Sunrise to 11:00 p.m. unless permitted
- Applies to
- Non-residential, multi-family, common single-family areas
- Enforced by
- Growth Management at plan/permit review
Summary
St. Johns County's Land Development Code bars any bright light from a covered project that spills onto adjacent property, streets, or individual residential lots as nuisance or disabling glare. Sec. 6.09.02.D treats light crossing a property line or shining above the horizontal plane as noncompliant, and canopy lighting at drive-throughs and car washes must use recessed or cutoff fixtures.
D. Any bright light shining onto adjacent property or Streets, including individual residential Lots, which would result in a nuisance glare or a disabling glare, shall not be permitted. Light trespass beyond property boundaries or above the horizontal plane shall be considered noncompliant. ... E. At canopied areas, such as those found at drive-through facilities, service stations, convenience centers, and car-washes, lighting under the canopy, awning, porte-cochere, or similar structure shall be either recessed or cut-off fixtures.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 00's lighting standards, which Growth Management applies to non-residential and multi-family Projects and to common improvements of single-family developments such as clubhouse or entrance lighting under Sec. B. The section prohibits any bright light shining onto adjacent property or Streets, including individual residential Lots, that produces a nuisance glare or a disabling glare, and it specifically states that light trespass beyond a Project's property boundaries, or light aimed above the horizontal plane, is noncompliant regardless of whether it also meets the footcandle caps in Sec.
A. Sec. E extends the same control to canopied areas: lighting under a canopy, awning, or porte-cochere at a drive-through, service station, convenience center, or car wash must be recessed or cut-off fixtures so light does not spill past the canopy edge onto neighboring streets or lots. Outdoor recreational facilities, such as ball fields and tennis courts, get a separate curfew under Sec. unless a Development Plan, Variance, or Special Use permit says otherwise, precisely because late-night sports lighting is a common source of trespass complaints from adjoining residential lots.
Ordinary lamp and pole maintenance on an existing system is not reviewed under this Part, but a system-wide upgrade affecting half or more of a Project's fixtures must bring the whole installation, including trespass control, into compliance.
Violations & Fines
A Project found to be casting nuisance or disabling glare onto a neighboring lot or street is noncompliant under Sec. 6.09.02.D regardless of its footcandle reading, and Growth Management can require shielding, fixture relocation, or aiming changes before signing off on a Development Plan or Building Permit. Canopy lighting that is not recessed or cut-off under Sec. 6.09.02.E must be retrofitted, and sports lighting run past 11:00 p.m. without an approved Variance or Special Use permit under Sec. 6.09.02.G.1 is likewise out of compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as light trespass under the county's lighting code?
Does the trespass rule cover a gas station's canopy lights?
Can a neighborhood ball field run its lights all night?
Does trespass control apply to a single-family homeowner's yard lights?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Johns County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare St. Johns County to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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