Yavapai County's Dark Sky Ordinance
Published on March 12, 2026
Yavapai County is a Dark Sky Community
Please refer to the Yavapai County Planning & Zoning Ordinance for additional details on the summarized information below.
All new permit applications submitted on or after July 18, 2025, must reflect compliance with the new standards.
Existing lighting may continue use under previous standards until any modification is made to a light fixture.
Change of Use or Exterior Building Modifications/Additions/Replacements requiring a permit will require that ALL outdoor lighting associated with the building, structure, or premises must be in compliance with the new standards.
Exemptions from Total Lumens count: Not included in tally of Total Lumens for Outdoor Lighting Report Form.
Emergency Lighting (603.D.12) • Holiday Decorations (603.G.4)
Solar-Powered Lighting, landscape/walkways (603.G.5)
Underwater Lighting (603.G.8)
Class 1 Lighting (Accurate Color Rendition)
Examples: Outdoor recreation areas (ball fields, courts, arenas, etc.)
REQUIRED: Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) of 2,700 K or less
REQUIRED: Fully Shielded
Class 2 Lighting (Safety and Security)
Examples: Entry/exit, exterior garage, walkways/driveways, security
REQUIRED: Narrow-Band Amber LEDs REQUIRED: Fully Shielded
Class 3 Lighting (Decorative)
Examples: Architectural illumination, monument lighting, landscape lighting of trees, shrubs, etc. Decorative outdoor lighting may be partially shielded and allow for changes of color no more than every two minutes.
Correlated Color Temperature (CCT): Relative warmness or coolness of light, measured in kelvin units (K).
Narrow-Band Amber LED (NBA LED): Peak wavelength between 590 and 595 nm, max width 15 nm or less at 50% spectral intensity.
Fully Shielded Fixture: Opaque shield surrounding top and sides, bulb does not extend below the side shielding.
Partially Shielded Fixture: Low-lumen light emitted upwards or sideways only from incidental decorative elements such as strongly colored glass or diffusing “honeycomb grid”
Light Trespass: Uncontained light falling across property boundaries.
For our report form click here
For information on code violations click here