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Palm Beach County is leading the way in sea turtle protection. The County's Board of County Commissioners has recognized the importance of our beaches to sea turtles and in 1987 passed the Palm Beach County Sea Turtle Protection Ordinance, one of the first in the state. The County's Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) is responsible for implementing measures designed to protect sea turtles and urges everyone to learn more about these magnificent creatures.

Every year sea turtle nesting season begins March 1 and ends October 31. Lights visible from the beach during nesting season adversely affect both adult sea turtles and hatchlings by affecting their ability to find the ocean. ERM conducted a study to evaluate the effect of corrective lighting on reducing sea turtle disorientations. The study found that by reducing the number of lights visible from the beach, fewer disorientation events occurred and fewer numbers of disoriented hatchlings were observed, which resulted in a lower percentage of nests disoriented.

Beachfront lighting is regulated in certain areas of the County through the Palm Beach County Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) Article 14.A, Sea Turtle Protection and Sand Preservation Ordinance. ERM is charged with implementing the ordinance which requires that all coastal construction adhere to strict guidelines to eliminate impacts to sea turtles. All properties that fall within the Zone of Jurisdiction are required to obtain a permit to install or replace light sources.

A Sea Turtle Lighting Plan (STLP) is required to be completed for all coastal lighting proposed for installation within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Palm Beach County Sea Turtle Protection Zone (STPZ).

Municipalities which are within the jurisdiction of Article 14.A, ULDC include Tequesta, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Riviera Beach (Singer Island), Palm Beach Shores, Lake Worth, Lantana, Manalapan, and Boynton Beach. Please call our office at 561-233-2400 to confirm a particular property is within the limits of the jurisdictional boundaries.

Sea Turtle Lighting Plan Documents

• Sea Turtle Lighting Application [4.5MB]
• Sea Turtle Lighting Fee Schedule
• Jurisdictional Boundary Map
• Article 14.A ULDC, Sea Turtle Protection and Sand Preservation
• Article 1 ULDC, Definitions

Other Helpful Tools

• Coastal Roadway Lighting Manual
• Witherington, B.E., and R.E. Martin. 2003. Understanding, Assessing, and Resolving Light-Pollution Problems on Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches [External Link]
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Florida Marine Turtle Program [External Link]
• ERM's Beachfront Lighting Reduction Through Local Regulation Study
• Wildlife Certification Program [External Link]