Tower Lighting and Marking

There are many towers that are 200 ft tall or less that have lights. If your tower is less than 200 feet above ground, check the program on the FCC website called Towair to see if the tower requires notification to the FAA under today’s standards. If not, you can ask to delete the lighting and marking requirements by the FAA using an on-line Form 7460-1. If the FAA determines it would not be a hazard unlighted and unmarked, then go through modification of the tower registration to delete the marking and lighting requirements. Once that is cleared, update the tower registration data in the tower registration database, and make a letter request to delete marking and lighting from your license. Once that is done, you no longer have to mark and light the tower.An array of towers usually does not require the center towers to be lit. The FAA can do an analysis at your request. Also, in a two tower array, if one tower is substantially shorter than the other, then the shorter one might not require lighting and marking.

If you don’t ask, and don’t do the paperwork, then you still have to mark and light towers, it is only after permission is granted that you can shut off the lights and cancel the tower painting.

This can save a lot of money in electricity, relamping and repainting towers.