Washington County, MN Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Property-line limit
- 0.4 foot candle maximum
- Public-street limit
- 1.0 foot candle from street centerline
- Measurement method
- Meter held 6 inches above ground, after dark
- Recreational lighting curfew
- Off by 11:00 PM absent Conditional Use Permit
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor; separate offense each day
Summary
Washington County caps how much light an outdoor fixture can throw onto a neighbor's land: no more than four-tenths of a foot candle measured at the property line. Light spilling onto a public street is capped separately at one foot candle, measured from the street centerline.
2. Intensity. Any light source or combination thereof which cast light on a public street exceeding one (1) foot candle meter reading as measured from the centerline of said street and any light source or combination thereof which cast light on adjacent property exceeding four tenths (0.4) foot candle as measured at the property line is prohibited.
Full Breakdown
8(4)(A)2 sets the county's numeric light-trespass ceiling. 4) foot candle, measured at the property line, is prohibited. A separate, higher threshold applies to public streets: light exceeding one (1) foot candle, measured from the street centerline, is also prohibited. 8(3): the foot-candle level must be taken after dark with a light meter held six inches above the ground, facing the light source, with one reading taken with the light on and a second with it off; the difference between the two readings is the illumination intensity attributed to that fixture.
4 foot-candle ceiling. Outdoor recreational lighting, such as ball fields or tennis courts, faces an added layer: it requires a Conditional Use Permit and cannot operate past 11:00 PM unless it independently conforms to these same intensity standards. The rule reaches every outdoor light source in unincorporated Washington County; incorporated cities set their own lighting codes.
Violations & Fines
Casting more than 0.4 foot candle onto a neighbor's property, or more than 1 foot candle onto a public street measured from centerline, violates Section 1.8(4)(A)2. As part of Chapter Two's zoning regulations, that violation is a misdemeanor under Section 9.1, and each day the excess light continues is charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can my neighbor's outdoor fixture legally throw onto my yard?
How does the county measure whether a light exceeds the foot-candle limit?
Is there a different light limit for public streets versus neighboring yards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Minnesota outdoor lighting overview
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