Parking lot lighting provides safe, uniform illumination with good uniformity and minimal light trespass and glare onto neighbors and the night sky.
| Area | Target |
|---|---|
| General parking | 1 to 5 fc (10 to 50 lux) |
| Entrances and exits | 5 to 10 fc |
| Pedestrian areas | 2 to 5 fc |
| Covered / garage | 5 to 10 fc |
Uniformity and trespass
Keep the max-to-min ratio low — 4:1 or better, ideally 3:1 — so there are no dark pockets. Pole height and spacing set coverage, and full-cutoff fixtures limit glare and light trespass for dark-sky compliance.
Photocells plus dimming or motion response cut energy during quiet hours without leaving the lot dark.
See the Parking Area Pole Spacing and the Pole Height Calculator.
Designing parking lot lighting
Good parking-lot lighting prioritizes uniformity over peak brightness — even light with no dark gaps between poles is safer than bright pools with shadows. Maintained levels typically run roughly 5–20 lux depending on activity, with higher levels at entrances, pay stations, and pedestrian crossings. Use full-cutoff fixtures to keep light on the lot and out of neighbors’ windows and the night sky, which also satisfies common dark-sky and light-trespass rules. Pole height and spacing trade off: taller poles cover more area with fewer fixtures but need well-controlled optics to hold uniformity. Aim for good vertical illuminance too, so faces and plates are visible for security cameras.