# Dark Sky Law: North Carolina

North Carolina has no statewide outdoor lighting, dark-sky, or sea-turtle lighting statute. A statewide "Sea Turtle Protection Act" (e.g., H455/H1053) has been filed in the legislature in multiple sessions but not passed; lighting protection for nesting turtles is currently handled town by town.

**Status:** no-statewide-law (checked 2026-09-23)
North Carolina has no statewide outdoor lighting, dark-sky, or sea-turtle lighting statute. A statewide "Sea Turtle Protection Act" (e.g., H455/H1053) has been filed in the legislature in multiple sessions but not passed; lighting protection for nesting turtles is currently handled town by town.

## Municipal codes
- [Raleigh](https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR10/ACRaleighLightingOrdinanceGuide.pdf): City lighting ordinance sets shielding and glare limits for new outdoor fixtures.
- [Wrightsville Beach](https://citizenportal.ai/articles/8446199/North-Carolina/New-Hanover-County/Wrightsville-Beach/State-biologist-warns-artificial-beachfront-lights-misorient-sea-turtles-Wrightsville-Beach-committee-moves-to-draft-lighting-rules): Town committee was drafting turtle-friendly beachfront lighting rules as of 2026 after state biologist warnings, not yet finalized.

## Sources
- https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H455v0.pdf
- https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2023/Bills/House/HTML/H1053v1.HTML
- https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR10/ACRaleighLightingOrdinanceGuide.pdf
- https://citizenportal.ai/articles/8446199/North-Carolina/New-Hanover-County/Wrightsville-Beach/State-biologist-warns-artificial-beachfront-lights-misorient-sea-turtles-Wrightsville-Beach-committee-moves-to-draft-lighting-rules

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Canonical: https://darkskiesdirectory.com/laws/NC