Outdoor and Landscape Lighting in NJ: What Affects the Cost, How It's Wired, and Doing It to Code

Good outdoor lighting makes a home safer, easier to use after dark, and a lot better looking from the street. It lights your steps, driveway, and doors. It can show off your trees, walkways, and the front of your house. And it makes it easier to see who is at the door.

As fall days get shorter in New Jersey, many homeowners start thinking about outdoor lighting. Here is a plain-English look at how outdoor lighting is wired, what New Jersey requires, and what drives the cost.

The two kinds of outdoor lighting

Almost every outdoor lighting project uses one or both of these:

1. Regular-voltage lighting (120 volts)

This is the same power as the outlets and lights inside your home. It is used for:

• Lights mounted on the house, like carriage lights by the doors and garage
• Floodlights and security lights
• Post lights and lamp posts at the end of a walkway or driveway
• Outdoor outlets

Because it is full household power, it has stricter rules for how deep the wires are buried and how they are protected.

2. Low-voltage landscape lighting

This is the system most people mean by "landscape lighting": small path lights, spotlights on trees, lights along garden beds, and lights that wash up the front of the house. A transformer (a power box) plugs into or is wired to a 120-volt source and steps the power down to a low, safer voltage. Code limits these systems to 30 volts, and to about half that where the parts could get wet and be touched.

Low-voltage wiring can be buried shallower, and it is safer to work around in the garden. The transformer still needs a proper outdoor power source, which is where the electrical work comes in.

Does outdoor lighting need a permit in New Jersey?

Usually, yes. New Jersey's building rules require an electrical permit for new wiring, new outlets, new light fixture locations, and new circuits, and that includes outdoor work. Low-voltage landscape lighting is not on the state's short list of work that can skip a permit.

What doesn't need a permit: Swapping an existing light fixture, switch, or outlet for a similar one in the same spot counts as ordinary maintenance in New Jersey. (Outlets that need GFCI protection or weather protection still have to meet those requirements when they are replaced.)

When WDM does the work, we manage the entire permitting process with your town. Permit fees are set by each town and are listed on your written proposal when they apply.

Code basics for outdoor electrical (in plain English)

On August 17, 2026, New Jersey adopted the 2023 edition of the National Electrical Code. Here are the parts that matter most for outdoor lighting.

GFCI protection outside. Outdoor outlets at a home must have GFCI protection. GFCI is a safety device that shuts off power in a split second if electricity starts leaking where it shouldn't, like through water or a person. The code also requires GFCI protection for most other outdoor outlets and equipment on circuits up to 50 amps. Outdoor light fixtures are an exception.

Weather protection. Outdoor outlets in damp areas must be weather-resistant. In wet areas, they need "in-use" covers, the bubble-style covers that keep rain out even while something is plugged in.

Outlets front and back. For new homes, code requires at least one outdoor outlet at the front and one at the back that you can reach from the ground.

How deep wires must be buried. Here are the common minimums for a home yard:

Type of wiringMinimum depthLow-voltage landscape lighting wire (30 volts or less)6 inches120-volt home circuit, 20 amps or less, with GFCI protection12 inches120-volt wire in plastic (PVC) conduit18 inches120-volt cable made to be buried without a pipe24 inches

Deeper wiring is better protected from shovels, aerators, and fence posts. The right method depends on the distance, the load, and what is in the way.

Call before you dig (and why it doesn't cover everything)

New Jersey law requires anyone digging to call 811 (New Jersey One Call) at least three full business days before digging. The call is free, and a contractor you hire to dig has to place it. Utility companies then mark their gas, electric, water, and cable lines.

Here is what many homeowners don't know: 811 does not mark private lines. Wires you own, like the line to a detached garage, an old lamp post, or existing landscape lights, won't be marked. WDM coordinates with local utility markers and uses scanning technology to help avoid hitting existing underground pipes. Tell your contractor about any private lines you know of before digging starts.

LED: the easy win

If your outdoor lights still use old bulbs, switching to LED is one of the simplest upgrades there is. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, home LED lighting uses at least 75 percent less energy and lasts up to 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. That matters most for outdoor lights that run all night. WDM can retrofit your existing home lighting with LED.

What affects the cost of an outdoor lighting project

We don't post fixed prices, because every property is different. Here is what moves the number up or down:

1. How many lights, and what kind. More fixtures, and higher-quality fixtures, mean more cost.
2. Low-voltage vs. 120-volt. Low-voltage path and accent lights are usually simpler to run. Lamp posts and yard outlets on regular household power need deeper trenches and heavier wiring.
3. Distance from your electrical panel. The farther the power has to travel, the more wire, conduit, and labor.
4. What's in the way. Running wire under a lawn is one thing. Getting under a driveway, patio, or walkway is another. WDM does trenching and underground electrical conduit (protective pipe for wires) and concrete cutting in-house, so getting under a driveway or patio doesn't mean hiring a second contractor.
5. Whether your panel has room. If your panel has space for a new circuit, that part is simple. If it is full, you may need a subpanel (a smaller second breaker box) or a panel upgrade.
6. Permit fees, which vary by town.

Planning tips

• Start with safety. Light steps, walkways, entries, and the driveway first. Then add accent lighting for looks.
• Plan outlets at the same time. If you're trenching anyway, adding an outdoor outlet for holiday lights or yard tools is usually easier while the trench is already open.
• Think about control. Many homeowners want lights that turn on at dusk and off at dawn, or run on a timer. Decide early how you want the lights to turn on and off, so the wiring can be planned for it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for landscape lighting in NJ?New wiring, outlets, fixture locations, and circuits need an electrical permit in New Jersey, and low-voltage landscape lighting is not on the state's list of work exempt from permits. Replacing an existing fixture with a similar one in the same spot does not need a permit.

How deep does landscape lighting wire need to be buried?Low-voltage landscape lighting wire (30 volts or less) needs at least 6 inches of cover. A GFCI-protected 120-volt home circuit of 20 amps or less needs 12 inches, and direct-burial 120-volt cable needs 24 inches.

Does 811 mark my landscape lighting wires?No. Utilities usually mark only their own lines, often just up to your meter. Private lines like wires to lamp posts, detached garages, or landscape lights are not marked.

The bottom line

Outdoor lighting is part design and part electrical work. The design is what you see. The electrical work (a proper power source, GFCI protection, the right burial depth, and a permit) is what makes it safe and makes it last.

WDM Contracting is based in Monroe, NJ and handles exterior electrical projects, including outdoor lighting, outlets, and underground wiring, for homes and businesses across New Jersey. Learn more about our electrical services.

Request your free estimate or call 848-360-6121.