Outdoor lighting in Palm Springs: the local rules

Each rule below links to the section of the Palm Springs Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Palm Springs's code says

Palm Springs code What Palm Springs's code adds
Brightness or color limit	Lamps may be 15,000 lumens or less. Applies: Pole-mounted fixtures in residential zones; they must be full-cutoff. § 93.21.00 · code text The lamp lumens shall be 15,000 or less and provide for full-cutoff features. Lamps may be 6,000 lumens or less. Applies: Walkway pole lights in residential and commercial zones. § 93.21.00 · code text The lamp lumens shall be 6,000 or less and be provided with lamp shielding as described in paragraph 9 above.
Fixture height	Light poles may be at most 18 feet high. Applies: Residential zones. § 93.21.00 · code text Residential Zones: maximum of eighteen feet high (18′0″) in residential zones. Walkway pole lights may be at most 10 feet above finished grade. Applies: Residential and commercial zones. § 93.21.00 · code text Pedestrian pole lighting fixtures shall have a maximum height of 10′0″ above finished grade in residential and commercial zones.
Shielding	Accent lights must be aimed so light falls on the object they highlight. Applies: Lighting for architectural features, landscape, building fronts, fountains and similar. § 93.21.00 · code text Lighting used to highlight architectural features, landscape, building facades, fountains etc. is acceptable and shall be adjusted and aimed during the night to insure light is focused on the designated object. Accent fixtures must be under 4,000 total lamp lumens, with shields, louvers or lenses reducing direct view of the lamp. Applies: Lighting aimed at architectural features, landscape, building fronts or fountains. § 93.21.00 · code text Lighting luminaries intended to be directional as described in paragraph 6 above shall be furnished with total lamp lumens of less than 4000 and must be furnished with shields, louvers and/or lenses to insure that the direct view of the lamp source is reduced. Fixtures need shields, louvers or lenses to reduce direct view of the lamp. Applies: Landscape lights aimed at landscape features, with total lamp lumens under 1,000. § 93.21.00 · code text Landscape lighting fixtures intended to be directional onto landscape features with a total lamp lumens of less than 1,000 must be furnished with shields, louvers and/or lenses to insure that the direct view of the lamp source is reduced. May be non-cutoff if louvers or an opaque lens prevent a direct view of the lamp. Applies: Walkway post-top lights with total lamp lumens under 6,000. § 93.21.00 · code text Pedestrian scale post top luminaries with total lamp lumens of less than 6000 may be non-cutoff if the fixture meets the requirements to prevent direct view of the lamp source by shielding the source with louvers and/or opaque lens. May be non-cutoff if louvers or an opaque lens prevent a direct view of the lamp. Applies: Low lights such as bollards and step lights, with total lamp lumens under 3,500. § 93.21.00 · code text Low level lighting (bollards, step lights etc.) with total lamp lumens of less than 3500 may be non-cutoff if the fixture meets the requirements to prevent direct view of the lamp source by shielding the source with louvers and/or opaque lens. Full-cutoff fixtures must be mounted level; tilted cut-off fixtures are not approved. § 93.21.00 · code text All full-cutoff type luminaries shall be mounted horizontal.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the outdoor lighting rules for homes in Palm Springs?

In residential zones, light poles may be at most 18 feet high, with full-cutoff lamps of 15,000 lumens or less.

Outdoor lighting in Palm Springs

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What Palm Springs's code says

Who this affects

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