Tempe regulates outdoor lighting with a maximum on-site illuminance at grade, with the statewide shielding statute doing the rest. The at-a-glance table is the code’s own table, reproduced; everything after it is the rule text that changes a design.
At a glance: every transcribed requirement
| Rule | Status | What the code says |
|---|---|---|
tempe-40fc | Required | Maximum on-site illumination is 40 footcandles measured at grade, anywhere on the site. |
tempe-shield | Required | ARS §49-1102 statewide shielding applies: fixtures fully or partially shielded except incandescent ≤150 W / other sources ≤70 W. |
tempe-trespass | Recommended | Direct light and glare must not spill onto adjacent residential property — shield and aim fixtures at the property line. |
How much the code actually pins down
The trap that catches out-of-town designers
Tempe's standard is a ceiling on brightness rather than a budget: the maximum on-site illumination is 40 footcandles measured at grade, anywhere on the site — which a fuel canopy or a drive-through pad can exceed without anyone noticing until the photometric grid is read point by point. Beyond that, the statewide statute does the work: under ARS §49-1102 every fixture must be fully or partially shielded unless it is an incandescent lamp of 150 W or less or any other source of 70 W or less, and direct light and glare must not spill onto adjacent residential property. There is no lumen-per-acre cap, no CCT cap and no curfew in the transcribed pack, so the photometric plan and the shielding schedule are what the reviewer reads.
Underneath every city code: the state statute
- Arizona statute: every outdoor light fixture must be fully or partially shielded unless it is an incandescent lamp of 150 W or less, or any other lamp of 70 W or less (ARS §49-1102).
- Mercury-vapor fixtures may not be sold or installed anywhere in Arizona (ARS §49-1104).
The statute is the floor; the city or town ordinance above is what the permit is reviewed against. Where the two differ, the stricter applies.
Source, date and limits
Source: Tempe ZDC site-illumination standards. Transcribed and verified: August 8, 2026, from the code text itself, never a summary site. Page updated: 5 September 2026. Status: current as of the verification date.
These pages render the same data file that drives our Lighting Design Tool, so a value here is the value the tool checks a design against. They are a reference, not a code book and not legal advice: the adopted ordinance, its amendments and the reviewer’s interpretation govern. Confirm with the authority having jurisdiction before you submit. IES illuminance targets and IECC power allowances are licensed-standard material and are not reproduced here.
Questions people ask
Does Tempe have a lumens-per-acre budget?
No. Tempe does not set a lumens-per-acre budget the way the dark-sky codes of southern and northern Arizona do; it regulates outdoor lighting through a maximum on-site illuminance at grade, with the statewide shielding statute doing the rest. The first requirement in Tempe ZDC site-illumination standards: Maximum on-site illumination is 40 footcandles measured at grade, anywhere on the site.
What is the maximum illuminance allowed on a site in Tempe?
Maximum on-site illumination is 40 footcandles measured at grade, anywhere on the site.
What shielding does Tempe require?
ARS §49-1102 statewide shielding applies: fixtures fully or partially shielded except incandescent ≤150 W / other sources ≤70 W.
Can site lighting spill onto neighbouring property in Tempe?
Direct light and glare must not spill onto adjacent residential property — shield and aim fixtures at the property line.