Court lighting
Lighting a Pickleball Court for Evening Play
Good lighting is the difference between playing until sunset and playing whenever you actually have time. Here's how much light a court needs, what a real installation involves, and what it costs at both a backyard budget and a full professional install.
Last updated September 24, 2026
How Much Light Do You Actually Need?
Lighting levels are measured in foot-candles (fc) or the metric equivalent, lux. More isn't automatically better once you're past the level your play actually needs, since extra fixtures just add cost and glare.
| Play level | Target | Minimum maintained |
|---|---|---|
| Recreational / backyard | 20–30 fc (200–300 lux) | 20 fc |
| Club / competitive | 40–50 fc (400–500 lux) | 40 fc |
| Tournament / broadcast | 50–75 fc (500–750 lux) | 60 fc |
For a backyard court used for casual evening play with family and friends, aim for the recreational tier. It's dramatically cheaper than the competitive and tournament tiers and is genuinely enough light to play comfortably after dark.
What a Lighting Install Actually Involves
A recreational single-court setup typically needs 4–6 LED fixtures in the 100–200 watt range. If you're mounting on dedicated poles rather than an existing structure like a garage or pergola, plan on roughly 16 feet of height for a single court and closer to 20 feet for a doubles-width layout with run-off, since higher, more evenly spread fixtures reduce harsh shadows and glare at eye level far better than a couple of low, bright floodlights.
Beyond the fixtures themselves, the real cost drivers are the poles, the concrete footings to set them, and running new electrical service if you don't already have power near the court. That electrical run, plus any permit it triggers, is often the single biggest line item on a lighting quote, bigger than the fixtures themselves.
Budget Setup vs. Full Pole Installation
There's a real gap between mounting a couple of LED flood fixtures on an existing garage wall or fence line and installing a proper pole-mounted system from scratch, and it's worth knowing which one you're actually pricing before a quote surprises you.
| Setup | Typical cost | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Basic backyard (existing structure mount) | $2,000 – $8,000 | 2–4 LED flood fixtures, brackets, wiring to nearby existing power, basic switch or photocell |
| Full pole-mounted, recreational spec | $14,000 – $35,000 | 4–6 fixtures, 16–20 ft poles, concrete footings, new electrical circuit, permit |
| Competitive / tournament spec | $35,000 – $52,000+ | 8+ fixtures, taller poles, engineered photometric layout to meet club-level foot-candle targets |
Solar-powered fixtures are worth pricing too, especially if running a new electrical circuit to your court is expensive or impractical. They avoid the trenching and permit cost of new electrical service, but the fixtures themselves usually cost more upfront per unit, so get a like-for-like quote against a standard electrical run before assuming solar is the cheaper path for your specific site.
Where to Find These Materials
For a basic DIY setup mounted on an existing structure. A full pole-mounted install is a job for a licensed electrician.
- LED sports flood light fixture : The core fixture for a DIY pole or wall-mounted setup
- Outdoor-rated mounting pole bracket : For attaching fixtures to an existing structure instead of a dedicated pole
- Photocell dusk-to-dawn sensor : Turns lights on automatically at dusk without a manual switch
- Outdoor timer switch : Caps how late lights run, useful for keeping neighbors happy
- Direct burial outdoor electrical wire : For running power to a pole-mounted fixture
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Quick Answers
Can I just use my existing outdoor lights?
Usually not well. General-purpose porch or security lighting is rarely bright or evenly distributed enough to play comfortably; you'll get glare and dark corners rather than the even coverage dedicated sport fixtures provide, even at a modest 20–30 foot-candle recreational target.
Do I need a permit for court lighting?
Often, yes, mainly for new electrical circuits or dedicated poles. A couple of fixtures wired into existing power on an existing structure is less likely to trigger one, but confirm with your local building department before you buy fixtures.
Will lights bother my neighbors?
They can, especially with poorly aimed fixtures or excessive wattage. A timer switch that caps how late lights run, plus fixtures aimed down at the court rather than outward, goes a long way toward keeping the peace.
Pricing the Rest of Your Build
Lighting is usually one of the last decisions, after the base and surface are locked in. See the full cost breakdown for your court.