Commercial Electrical
Parking Lot Lighting
in Vancouver, WA
Your customers won't shop at a store they can't see from the road. Your tenants won't lease space in a complex with a dark lot. And your employees shouldn't have to walk to their cars in the dark. Parking lot lighting is one of the most visible parts of your property, and one of the first things people notice when it's not working. Newman Electric installs and upgrades parking lot lighting for commercial properties across Vancouver, WA. Pole lights, wall packs, LED conversions, photocell controls. Ryan comes out, assesses what you have, and gets the lot lit right.
Parking Lot Services
What Goes Into Parking Lot Lighting
Pole-Mounted Fixtures
Parking lot pole lights are the backbone of any commercial lot. Newman Electric installs new poles with LED fixtures and retrofits existing poles with modern LED heads. We size the fixtures based on mounting height, lot dimensions, and the coverage you need. A 20-foot pole needs a different fixture than a 30-foot pole, and we account for that.
Wall Packs & Area Lights
Wall-mounted fixtures go on the building face and light the areas closest to the structure. Newman Electric installs full-cutoff wall packs that push light down and out without creating glare. These are standard at entrances, loading areas, and along the building perimeter where pole lights don't reach.
LED Conversions
If your lot still runs on HPS (high-pressure sodium) or metal halide, you're spending too much on electricity and not getting enough light on the ground. LED parking lot fixtures use 50-70% less energy, produce whiter and more even light, and last four to five times longer. Newman Electric does full LED conversions, including new drivers, lenses, and photocell controllers.
Controls & Automation
Parking lot lighting needs to turn on at dusk and off at dawn without anyone touching a switch. Newman Electric installs photocells and astronomical timers that adjust automatically throughout the year. Some properties also use dimming controls to reduce light levels after business hours, which saves energy while still meeting safety requirements.
Our Process
How Newman Electric Handles Parking Lot Projects
Parking lot lighting projects involve underground conduit, high-reach fixture mounting, and coordination with property managers. Newman Electric has done this for properties across Vancouver, WA and Clark County.
Lot Assessment
Ryan walks the lot and checks every existing pole, fixture, and circuit. He measures light levels, notes dead spots, and checks if your existing wiring and panel can support the new layout. You get a clear picture of where things stand.
Design & Bid
Newman Electric lays out the fixture plan based on pole spacing, mounting height, and lumen requirements. The bid includes fixture specs, pole work, underground conduit, wiring, controls, and permit costs. No surprises once the job starts.
Installation
The crew trenches conduit, sets or modifies poles, mounts fixtures, and wires everything back to the panel. Newman Electric coordinates with your property manager so the lot stays open during the work. We schedule around your busiest hours when possible.
Testing & Permit
Every fixture gets tested at night to verify coverage and aim. Ryan adjusts any fixtures that aren't hitting the right spots. We close out the permit, pass the inspection, and your parking lot is lit properly.
Codes & Requirements
Parking Lot Lighting Codes in Washington
Parking lot lighting has to meet the electrical code, the energy code, and local ordinances. Newman Electric handles all of it.
WSEC: Energy Code for Exterior Lighting
The Washington State Energy Code sets maximum wattage per square foot for parking lot lighting and requires automatic shut-off controls. Every fixture needs a photocell or astronomical timer. Parking lots over a certain size also need the ability to reduce lighting levels by at least 50% when the lot is unoccupied. Newman Electric designs every parking lot lighting layout to meet the energy code from the start.
NEC 300.5: Underground Wiring
Parking lot pole lights need underground conduit and wiring. The NEC specifies burial depth based on the type of conduit and voltage. PVC conduit under a parking lot surface needs to be buried at least 24 inches deep. Rigid metal conduit has different depth requirements. Newman Electric follows NEC 300.5 burial depth tables on every trenching job.
IES RP-20: Parking Facility Lighting
The Illuminating Engineering Society publishes recommended light levels for parking facilities. Open surface lots need at least 1 footcandle average with a uniformity ratio no worse than 4:1. Covered parking structures need higher levels. Newman Electric references IES standards when designing parking lot lighting layouts in Vancouver, WA.
WAC 296-46B: Washington Permits
New parking lot lighting circuits, pole installations, and underground wiring all require a permit. City of Vancouver handles its own permits (360-487-7890). Unincorporated Clark County goes through L&I (360-896-2300). Newman Electric pulls every permit and schedules the inspection.
Customer Reviews
What Property Owners Say
"Newman Electric was great to work with! They were on time for both the bid process and the actual work. The work was done well and on my timeline. I appreciated the reasonable pricing and communication. I would absolutely use them again!"
Dean S.
Commercial Electrical
"Great communication- fast responses and thorough. Free estimate. The work we wanted was scheduled quickly."
Chris F.
Electrical Service
"Newman's electric is a great electrical company, very reasonable prices, and good service. Very experienced personnel!"
Lisa W.
Electrical Service
Common Questions
Parking Lot Lighting FAQ
The cost depends on the size of the lot, the number of poles, whether you need new underground wiring, and what kind of fixtures you choose. An LED retrofit on existing poles is less expensive than a ground-up installation with new poles and conduit. Newman Electric provides free estimates. Ryan comes out, measures the lot, and gives you a detailed bid with no surprises.
If you still have HPS or metal halide, yes. LED parking lot fixtures cut energy use by 50-70% and produce a whiter, more even light that's better for visibility and security cameras. LED also lasts 50,000+ hours, which means far fewer bulb replacements on fixtures that require a bucket truck to service. The energy savings cover the upgrade cost within a few years for most commercial lots.
Any new wiring, new poles, or underground conduit requires a permit. Replacing a lamp (bulb) or doing a direct fixture swap on an existing circuit is maintenance. If you're adding new circuits or new poles, that's permit work. Newman Electric handles all permits for parking lot lighting projects in Vancouver, WA and Clark County.
For most commercial parking lots, 20 to 30 feet is standard. Taller poles cover a wider area per fixture but need higher-output lights. Shorter poles provide more focused light and work well for smaller lots. Newman Electric factors in lot size, fixture output, and any local height restrictions when recommending pole height. Some municipalities in Clark County have maximum height limits for light poles.
Newman Electric does both. If you have a couple of fixtures out, we'll come diagnose the issue and replace what's needed. If the fixtures are old and replacement parts aren't available, we'll recommend an LED upgrade for those poles. No job is too small for parking lot lighting repair in Vancouver, WA.
Yes. Newman Electric works around your business hours. Trenching and conduit work happens in sections so the lot doesn't shut down all at once. Fixture mounting and wiring can happen after business hours if that works better for your property. Ryan coordinates the schedule with your property manager.
More Services
Related Commercial Services
Service Areas
Parking Lot Lighting
Across Vancouver, WA
Newman Electric installs and repairs parking lot lighting for commercial properties across Clark County and Cowlitz County. Strip malls in Hazel Dell, office complexes in Salmon Creek, warehouse lots in Ridgefield, and retail centers throughout Vancouver. Ryan and the crew handle lots of all sizes.
Your Lot Should Be
Lit Every Night
Newman Electric installs and upgrades parking lot lighting across Vancouver, WA. LED conversions, new poles, photocell controls. Call Ryan for a free estimate on your parking lot lighting project.