DarkSky Approved
The DarkSky Approved program provides objective, third-party certification for products, designs, and completed projects that minimize glare, reduce light trespass, and don’t pollute the night sky.
DarkSky certification
Quality outdoor lighting protects and restores the natural night environment by controlling light pollution.
The DarkSky Approved program provides objective, third-party certification for lighting products, lighting designs, and installed lighting projects that minimize glare, reduce light trespass, and reduce light pollution. To be certified, they must:
- Restrict the amount of upward-directed light
- Avoid glare
- Avoid over-lighting
- Utilize dimming and other appropriate lighting controls
- Minimize short-wavelength (bluish) light in the nighttime environment
DarkSky Approved
Luminaires
The DarkSky Approved Luminaires program provides objective, third-party certification for luminaires (light fixtures) that protect the night.
Our searchable database features hundreds of products to meet all your outdoor lighting needs—including streetlights, path lighting, residential, and commercial solutions. Interested in getting a product approved? Learn more about our program catagories and guidelines.
DarkSky Approved
Outdoor Sports Lighting
The Outdoor Sports Lighting program encourages and promotes community-friendly sports lighting designs that minimize light pollution.
Our program offers clear guidance to municipalities, lighting designers, and citizens for best-in-class sports field lighting. We offer rigorous independent third-party certification of fields that meet our exacting standards.
DarkSky Approved
Lodging Experiences
Overnight visitor accommodations with exceptional or distinguished quality starry nights and nighttime environment.
DarkSky Approved Lodging may include, for example, hotels, resorts, retreat centers, cabins, and other permanent structures for overnight accommodations that promote ecotourism, or astrotourism and are situated in dark sky locations.
DarkSky Approved
Port Marine Terminal Lighting
The Port Marine Terminal Lighting program promotes lighting designs and installations that reduce light pollution, helping protect coastal environments and marine ecosystems.
Our program provides guidance for port authorities to implement lighting practices that minimize sky glow and light trespass, while maintaining and even enhancing efficiency. Through rigorous, independent third-party certification, we recognize sites that meet our guidelines.
DarkSky Appproved
Sea Turtle Sensitive Lighting
Of all the animals on our planet, perhaps none are under more threat from light pollution than sea turtles. Sea turtles live their whole lives in the ocean, but hatchlings are born on sandy beaches at night, and must find the ocean by the light of the horizon.
Sea turtle sensitive light fixtures are designed to keep light where it is needed — pointed downward — and limit the light spectrum emitted.
Categories we certify
Luminaires
Light fixtures that have been proven to significantly reduce light pollution through strict control of distribution and color, as well as the use of shielding.
Controls
Products that regulate the intensity of a luminaire’s light output, such as by dimming, switching, and/or programmed times of operation.
Signage
Products that use retroreflection or other technologies that can replace internally illuminated signs.
Luminescent products
Products that emit light by luminescence alone after having been exposed to light during the day. These are typically used only for wayfinding, as the light output is low but sufficient in areas with minimal ambient light.
Look for the seal(s) of approval
The DarkSky Approved seal tells you a luminaire or device has passed certification by DarkSky’s technical lighting team.
The seal of approval was adopted in 2022. You may also see the legacy logo applied to retail packaging by many manufacturers.
DarkSky Approved outdoor sports lighting
Outdoor sports lighting installations or retrofits that minimize or eliminate glare and light trespass, and protect wildlife.
DarkSky Approved Lodging
Overnight visitor accommodation with exceptional or distinguished quality starry nights and a nighttime environment preserved through on-site DarkSky Approved lighting.
DarkSky Approved Sea Turtle Sensitive lighting
Sea turtle sensitive light fixtures are designed to keep light where it is needed — pointed downward. Sea turtle friendly light sources limit the spectrum of light emitted to minimize the impact on hatchling turtles and egg-laying mothers.