Quick Answer: The Outdoor Lighting Standards Map
For most residential landscape-lighting projects, start with ANSI/IES RP-47-23 for landscape design, then use other standards only when the project raises a more specific question.
Landscape Lighting
Best fit for residential landscape-lighting design, site analysis, equipment, techniques, human/nature interaction and maintenance.
Outdoor Pedestrian Applications
Useful where people walk, gather and navigate outdoor environments, including lighting zones, glare, controls and environmental considerations.
Outdoor Luminaire Classification
Defines the Luminaire Classification System and Backlight, Uplight and Glare (BUG) ratings.
LED Photometric Measurement
Explains reproducible measurement of luminous flux, power, efficacy, intensity distribution and color quantities for solid-state lighting products.
Roadway & Parking Facilities
Relevant to streets, intersections, parking lots, garages and other vehicle-focused lighting—not ordinary backyard path lighting.
Residential Environments
A broader residential-lighting recommended practice covering interior and exterior residential environments.
Outdoor Lighting Standards: What Each Document Actually Does
↔ Swipe horizontally to see the complete standards comparison.
| Standard | Primary Topic | Best Use | Typical Residential Relevance | Does It Replace Electrical Code? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANSI/IES RP-47-23 | Landscape lighting | Landscape design process, techniques, equipment, maintenance | Very High | No |
| ANSI/IES RP-43-25 | Outdoor pedestrian environments | Walkways, plazas, pedestrian comfort, lighting zones, glare and controls | High | No |
| ANSI/IES TM-15-20 | Outdoor luminaire classification | BUG ratings and directional light distribution | High | No |
| ANSI/IES LM-79-24 | SSL measurement | LED lumen, efficacy, intensity and color test data | No | |
| ANSI/IES RP-8-25 | Roadway and parking lighting | Roads, intersections, parking lots and garages | Project specific | No |
| ANSI/IES/ALA RP-11-26 | Residential lighting | Interior and exterior residential environments | High | No |
ANSI/IES RP-47-23: The Most Direct Standard for Landscape Lighting
If you are designing lighting around a home, garden, tree, path, retaining wall, patio or landscape feature, RP-47-23 is the most directly relevant ANSI/IES recommended practice.
The IES describes RP-47-23 as a recommended practice for landscape lighting, a subcategory of exterior lighting. Its published contents include the landscape-lighting design process, site analysis, nature and human interactions, design considerations, lighting techniques, methods for landscape elements, equipment and maintenance.
What that means in practical terms
- Start with the site and the purpose of the light, not fixture quantity.
- Think about what people see from paths, windows and gathering spaces.
- Consider plants, trees, wildlife and the nighttime environment.
- Use beam control and placement instead of solving every problem with more lumens.
- Plan for maintenance, aiming changes and landscape growth.
Our Portfolio Landscape Lighting pillar applies those ideas to practical residential outdoor-lighting decisions.
ANSI/IES RP-43-25: Outdoor Pedestrian Lighting
RP-43-25 is broader than landscape lighting. The IES describes it as providing pedestrian-oriented illumination recommendations for reassurance, safety, comfort, amenity and enjoyment in outdoor environments across lighting zones LZ-1 through LZ-4.
The 2025 edition includes lighting zones, color, controls, glare metrics, environmental considerations and responsible outdoor-lighting principles.
This is especially relevant to larger residential properties, HOAs, multi-family sites, campuses and commercial landscapes where outdoor circulation is a central design issue.
ANSI/IES TM-15-20: BUG Ratings and Outdoor Luminaire Classification
TM-15-20 defines the Luminaire Classification System for outdoor luminaires. It organizes light distribution into meaningful angular zones and includes the familiar Backlight, Uplight and Glare (BUG) ratings.
Light Going Behind the Fixture
Important near property lines, windows, neighboring yards and areas behind poles or wall-mounted luminaires.
Light Going Into the Upper Hemisphere
Important for skyglow, dark-sky planning and fixtures that send unnecessary light upward.
High-Angle Light That Can Be Visually Uncomfortable
Important for drivers, pedestrians and neighbors who can see the bright source from normal viewing positions.
More Than a Single Number
The system uses luminaire photometric distribution to describe where the fixture actually sends its light.
See our dark-sky-friendly fixture selection guide for practical fixture-selection context.
ANSI/IES LM-79-24: What Makes LED Photometric Data Comparable?
LM-79 is different from a design recommended practice. It is a measurement standard. The 2024 edition describes procedures for reproducible optical and electrical measurements of solid-state lighting products under standardized conditions.
It covers measurements such as total luminous flux, electrical power, system efficacy, luminous intensity distribution, chromaticity and spectrum.
Why a homeowner should care
If a manufacturer publishes serious photometric data for an integrated LED fixture, LM-79-style standardized testing is far more useful than a marketplace claim such as “super bright 3000 lumens.” Standardized test methods make product data more comparable.
ANSI/IES RP-8-25: Roadway and Parking Lighting
RP-8-25 applies to roadway and parking facilities. Its scope reaches far beyond a normal front-yard path-light layout and includes roads, highways, intersections, crosswalks, parking lots, garages, tunnels, signs and related transportation environments.
It also addresses obtrusive light, controls, maintenance and environmental ratings. This becomes relevant when a “landscape” project actually includes a commercial parking lot, private roadway, large shared drive, development entrance or similar vehicle-focused environment.
ANSI/IES/ALA RP-11-26: Residential Lighting Is Broader Than Landscape Lighting
The current IES Lighting Library lists ANSI/IES/ALA RP-11-26 for lighting in interior and exterior residential environments. That makes it useful when the outdoor design needs to connect with porches, entries, garages, decks, patios and the visual transitions between the house and yard.
RP-47 remains the more specialized landscape-lighting document, while RP-11 provides broader residential context.
ANSI/IES Standards Increasingly Treat Outdoor Lighting as More Than “Enough Light”
Modern exterior-lighting guidance considers glare, light trespass, skyglow, color, controls and environmental effects—not simply whether a surface meets an illuminance target.
The IES position on outdoor light at night specifically points readers toward RP-43-25, TM-15-20, TM-37-22, RP-8-25 and RP-11-26 as relevant outdoor-lighting resources. It also emphasizes context, spectrum, output, orientation and environmental impacts.
For residential applications, that supports a simple principle: put the least amount of light necessary where it actually helps, and keep it out of places where it creates glare, trespass or skyglow.
Which Standard Should I Look At for This Outdoor Lighting Question?
↔ Swipe horizontally to see the complete question-to-standard map.
| Your Question | Best Starting Standard | Why | Also Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| How should I design landscape lighting around trees, beds and hardscape? | ANSI/IES RP-47-23 | Landscape-specific recommended practice | RP-43 for pedestrian/site context |
| How do I reduce glare and uplight? | ANSI/IES TM-15-20 | Outdoor luminaire distribution and BUG ratings | RP-43 and local outdoor-lighting ordinance |
| How are LED lumens and efficacy measured? | ANSI/IES LM-79-24 | Standardized SSL optical/electrical measurement | Manufacturer photometric report |
| How should a pedestrian walkway or plaza be illuminated? | ANSI/IES RP-43-25 | Outdoor pedestrian applications and lighting zones | RP-47 if landscape design is involved |
| How should a parking lot be illuminated? | ANSI/IES RP-8-25 | Roadway and parking facilities | Local zoning and electrical code |
| Is my transformer/wiring installation electrically legal? | Not primarily an ANSI/IES design question | Electrical installation is governed by adopted electrical code and product requirements | NEC, AHJ, product listing, instructions |
ANSI/IES vs NEC vs UL/ETL: Three Different Questions
These systems overlap in an outdoor-lighting project, but they answer different questions.
How Should the Lighting Perform?
Design practices, photometry, glare, pedestrian conditions, landscape techniques, measurement and related lighting science.
How Must the Electrical Installation Be Done?
Wiring methods, GFCI, burial, grounding, special locations and locally adopted electrical requirements.
Was the Product Evaluated for Safety?
Third-party product certification to applicable safety standards for the product category and intended use.
What Is Allowed at This Property?
Lighting zones, curfews, trespass limits, shielding, pole height and local dark-sky requirements can vary by community.
For product certification, see our UL vs ETL landscape lighting guide. For the electrical side, start with the Landscape Lighting Electrical Code & Safety Guide.
How to Read an Outdoor Fixture Spec Sheet Using These Standards
A good specification sheet should give you more than wattage and color temperature. Depending on the product, look for:
- Initial lumen output
- Input watts and efficacy
- Beam or intensity distribution
- Photometric file or report
- CCT and color information
- BUG rating where applicable
- Environmental/wet-location information
- Product certification/listing
- Driver and control compatibility
These fields answer different questions. A BUG rating does not prove electrical safety, and a UL/ETL listing does not tell you whether the beam will create glare at your neighbor’s window.
How a Homeowner Can Use ANSI/IES Standards Without Becoming a Lighting Engineer
You do not need to calculate every photometric quantity to benefit from professional standards. Use them as a checklist for better questions.
- Identify the application. Landscape, pedestrian, parking, roadway or residential?
- Ask where the light goes. Not just how many lumens the fixture produces.
- Look for glare control. Shielding, aiming and source visibility matter.
- Check whether test claims are standardized. Especially for integrated LED products.
- Separate design from electrical safety. Good photometry does not excuse bad wiring.
- Check your local ordinance. Dark-sky or nuisance-light rules may be more restrictive.
Five Common Mistakes When People Talk About “ANSI Compliant Lighting”
1. Treating ANSI as a single outdoor-lighting rulebook
ANSI approval appears on many different standards. You need the document that matches the application.
2. Assuming an ANSI/IES design standard is an electrical code
It is not. Electrical installation requirements come from the adopted electrical code, local AHJ, product listings and installation instructions.
3. Using roadway criteria for a backyard
A parking lot, crosswalk and residential garden solve very different visual problems.
4. Believing a lumen number proves good lighting
Distribution, glare, mounting, aiming and background conditions determine whether those lumens are useful.
5. Treating BUG as a universal “good/bad” score
BUG components are tied to luminaire distribution and application context. A rating is information for design, not a substitute for design.
Official Standards Sources Used for This Guide
This guide is based on current IES and ANSI standards listings as of August 2026:
- Illuminating Engineering Society — Standards Program
- ANSI/IES RP-47-23 — Recommended Practice: Landscape Lighting
- ANSI/IES RP-43-25 — Outdoor Pedestrian Applications
- ANSI/IES TM-15-20 — Luminaire Classification System
- ANSI/IES LM-79-24 — Optical and Electrical Measurements of SSL Products
- ANSI/IES RP-8-25 — Roadway and Parking Facilities
Outdoor Lighting ANSI Standards FAQ
What ANSI standard applies to landscape lighting?
ANSI/IES RP-47-23 is the IES recommended practice specifically devoted to landscape lighting.
What standard covers outdoor pedestrian lighting?
ANSI/IES RP-43-25 covers outdoor pedestrian applications and includes lighting zones, environmental considerations, glare, color and controls.
What standard defines BUG ratings?
ANSI/IES TM-15-20 defines the Luminaire Classification System and includes Backlight, Uplight and Glare ratings for outdoor luminaires.
What is LM-79?
ANSI/IES LM-79-24 is an approved measurement method for optical and electrical testing of solid-state lighting products. It addresses measurements such as luminous flux, power, efficacy, intensity distribution and color quantities.
Does ANSI/IES tell me how deep to bury landscape-lighting wire?
No. Burial and wiring requirements are electrical-installation issues governed by the adopted electrical code, product instructions and local requirements.
Does a BUG rating tell me whether a fixture is dark-sky compliant?
BUG data can be an important part of evaluating uplight, backlight and glare, but local dark-sky rules can include additional requirements such as shielding, lumen limits, color temperature, curfews and lighting zones.
Do homeowners have to follow ANSI/IES standards?
Whether a particular standard is mandatory depends on how it has been incorporated into a contract, specification, ordinance, code or other requirement. Many IES documents are recommended practices used by designers, engineers, agencies and communities to establish professional lighting criteria.
Bottom Line
The phrase “ANSI standards for outdoor lighting” describes a family of standards, not one universal rule. For residential landscape lighting, RP-47-23 is the most direct starting point. RP-43-25 helps with pedestrian environments, TM-15-20 helps evaluate backlight/uplight/glare, LM-79-24 helps interpret LED test data, and RP-8-25 belongs to roadway and parking applications. Use those lighting standards alongside—not instead of—the electrical code, product certification, local ordinances and manufacturer instructions.
Standards Verification
Standard editions change. The document numbers and editions on this page were checked against current IES/ANSI listings in August 2026. Always verify the latest edition and any locally adopted requirements before using a standard in a formal specification or permitted project.