Wiring · checked November 14, 2026

Low voltage, line voltage or solar

Most landscape lighting here is 12-volt low voltage. That choice affects who can install it, whether it needs a permit, and whether your HOA will approve it.

How this works: Highlands Ranch Lighting is a free referral service, not a lighting contractor. We pass your request to independent local lighting installers, who may pay us for the referral. They quote, schedule and do the work; check their insurance before you hire. More about us.

Low voltage (12V)

A transformer plugged into or wired to a 120V outlet steps power down to 12V for the fixtures. MSI Mechanical calls it "the standard approach for residential landscape lighting." Colorado's electrician licensing article does not apply to class 2 or class 3 power-limited circuits or to contractors doing that work (C.R.S. 12-115-116(16)). The outlet feeding the transformer is still regular electrical work.

Line voltage (120V)

Hardwired house fixtures, new outdoor outlets and some high-output floodlights run at household voltage. That work falls under the electrician licensing law and usually a permit. In Highlands Ranch, HRCA requires landscape and accent fixtures to be low voltage anyway.

Solar

Angi lists solar fixtures at $50 to $200 each, the cheapest option, but they're dimmer and less reliable on short winter days. HRCA lists solar recharging panels among attached equipment that must be submitted for approval, and requires landscape fixtures to be low voltage.

Permits

Douglas County's electrical permit application lists "Low Voltage Wiring" as one of its permit categories. Towns differ. Ask each installer, in writing, whether a permit is needed for your job and who pulls it. Angi puts permit fees at $50 to $300.

Related

• Dark-sky and HOA lighting rules
• Landscape lighting installation
• LED upgrades, timers and controls