The height of existing lighthouses is expressed in two measures: the height of the tower itself, and the distance from the focal plane (that is, the center) of the light source to the water. The latter can be much greater than the former if the light stands on a promontory.
Several structures which have functioned as lighthouses exceed the height of any entry in this list, among them the Statue of Liberty at and Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial at . These are not listed because they were not constructed as lighthouses per se.
Tallest lighthouses HeightLighthouseState ReferenceCape Hatteras LightNorth CarolinaCape Charles LightVirginiaPonce de Leon Inlet LightFloridaAbsecon LightNew JerseyCape Lookout LightNorth Carolina Fire Island LightNew York St. Augustine LightFlorida Cape Henry LightVirginia Barnegat LightNew JerseyNavassa Island LightNavassa Island Morris Island LightSouth Carolina Currituck Beach LightNorth Carolina Bodie Island LightNorth Carolina Cape May LightNew Jersey Dry Tortugas LightFlorida Cape Canaveral LightFlorida"Img_0338 (Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Florida heritage marker)" . Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation. Retrieved on 2012-11-08.Pensacola LightFloridaCape Romain LighthousesSouth Carolina Oak Island LightNorth Carolina Tybee Island LightGeorgia Hillsboro Inlet LightFloridaAssateague LightVirginiaCharleston LightSouth CarolinaMoloka'i LightHawaii Rock of Ages LightMichigan Hunting Island LightSouth Carolina Boon Island LightMaineSand Island LightAlabamaCape Ann LightMassachusettsWhite Shoal LightMichiganSand Key LightFlorida Mobile Point LightAlabamaPetit Manan LightMaine116 feet (35 m)Point Bolivar LightTexasPoint Arena LightCaliforniaPigeon Point LightCaliforniaGrosse Point LightIllinois Big Sable Point LightMichiganRawley Point LightWisconsin Montauk Point LightNew York Stannard Rock LightMichiganPresque Isle LightMichiganWind Point LightWisconsin Jupiter Inlet LightFloridaLittle Sable PointMichiganGrays Harbor LightWashington Craighill Channel Lower Range Rear LightMaryland St. Simons Island LightGeorgia Summersville LakeWest Virginia Marcus Hook LightDelaware Bald Head LightNorth Carolina South Manitou Island LightMichigan Grosse Ile NorthMichigan Sanibel Island LightFlorida 98 feet (30 m)Sturgeon Bay Canal LightWisconsin Cape Florida LightFlorida Destruction Island LightWashington Yaquina Head LightOregon Spectacle Reef LightMichigan Sand Hills LightMichigan St. George Reef LightCalifornia Harbour Town LightSouth Carolina Pointe aux Barques LightMichigan New London Harbor LightConnecticut 89 feet (27 m)Cana Island LightWisconsin Au Sable LightMichigan Key West LightFlorida Fort Gratiot LightMichigan Alcatraz Island LightCalifornia St. Johns River LightFlorida Portland Head LightMaine Manitou Island LightMichigan Whitefish Point LightMichigan Seul Choix LightMichigan Gray's Reef LightMichigan Waugoshance LightMichigan Middle Island LightMichigan Cape Decision LightAlaska Ocracoke LightNorth Carolina St. Martin Island LightMichigan Piedras Blancas LightCalifornia Sturgeon Point LightMichigan St. Helena Island LightMichigan Poverty Island LightMichigan New Point Loma lighthouseCalifornia Minneapolis Shoal LightMichigan Los Angeles Harbor LightCalifornia Five Finger Islands LightAlaska Tawas Point LightMichigan Point Vicente LightCalifornia Frankfort LightMichigan Cape Hinchinbrook LightAlaskaMarblehead LightOhio Tree Point LightAlaska St. Johns LightFlorida Highland LightMassachusetts Rock Harbor LightMichigan Point Iroquois LightMichigan North Head LightWashington Cedar River LightMichigan Cape Flattery LightWashington Big Bay Point LightMichigan North Manitou Shoal LightMichigan New Dungeness LightWashington DeTour Reef LightMichigan Tillamook LightOregon Thunder Bay IslandMichigan Ludington LightMichigan Grand Marais HarborMichigan Grand Island HarborMichigan Copper Harbor LightMichigan Umpqua River LightOregon Mary Island LightAlaska Isle Royale LightMichigan Dunkirk LighthouseNew York Port Austin LighthouseMichigan Poe Reef LightMichigan Cape Blanco LighthouseOregon Port Sanilac LightMichigan Lansing Shoals LightMichigan Old Point Comfort LightVirginia New Point Comfort LightVirginia Munising LightMichigan Ile Aux Galets LightMichigan Crisp Point LightMichigan Amelia Island LightFlorida St. Joseph InnerMichigan Round Island LightMichigan Old Mackinac Point LightMichigan Eldred Rock LightAlaska Charlevoix South Pier LightMichigan Fourteen Mile Point LightMichigan Cape St. Elias LightAlaska Split Rock LighthouseMinnesota Mobile Middle Bay LightAlabama St. Joseph OuterMichigan Squaw Island LightMichigan Muskegon SouthMichigan Cape Disappointment LightWashington Orient Point LightNew York Point No Point Light (Maryland)Maryland Point Conception LightCalifornia Martin Reef LightMichigan Forty Mile Point LightMichigan Sentinel Island LightAlaska Sandy Point Shoal LightMaryland Portage RiverMichigan Little Traverse LightMichigan Grand Haven South InnerMichigan Harbor Beach LightMichigan Bar Point Shoal LightMichigan Point Sur LightCalifornia Point Hueneme LightCalifornia East Brother IslandCalifornia Point Cabrillo LightCalifornia Grand Traverse LightMichiganSaugerties LightNew York Point Wilson LightWashington Old Point Loma lighthouseCalifornia Gull Rock LightMichigan Drum Point LightMaryland Charity Island LightMichigan Beaver Island HeadMichigan Windmill Point LightMichigan Ontonagon LightMichigan Beavertail LightRhode Island Battery Island LightCalifornia Race Point LightMassachusetts Cape Arago LightOregon South Fox Island LightMichigan Sand Point LightMichigan Passage Island LightMichigan Bete GriseMichigan ManisteeMichigan Eagle Harbor LightMichigan Cheboygan River LightMichigan Bois Blanc IslandMichigan Thomas Point Shoal LightMaryland Point Pinos LightCalifornia Grand Marais Harbor OuterMichigan Cape Mendocino LightCaliforniaHuntington Harbor LightNew York Farallon Island LightCalifornia Beaver Island Harbor LightMichiganCape Neddick LightMaine St. Clair Flats South LightMichigan San Luis Obispo LightCalifornia Round Island Passage LightMichigan Peninsula Point LightMichigan Marquette Harbor LightMichigan Granite Island LightMichigan Grand Island North LightMichigan Anacapa Island LightCalifornia Presque Isle Light (Old)Michigan Huron Island LightMichigan Grand Island East Channel LightMichigan Wood End LightMassachusetts Long Point LightMassachusetts White River LightMichigan McGulpin's Point LightMichigan Lime Kiln LightWashington Cove Point LightMaryland Point Betsie LightMichigan Alki Point LightWashington Saginaw River Rear Range LightMichigan Mission Point LightMichigan Marquette Breakwater Outer LightMichigan Grand Haven South Pierhead Entrance LightMichigan Fourteen Foot Shoal LightMichigan Concord Point LightMaryland Patos Island LightWashington Point Reyes LightCalifornia Table Bluff LightCalifornia South Haven South Pier LightMichigan Sharps Island LightMaryland Round Island LightMichigan Manistique East Breakwater LightMichigan Cape Sarichef LightAlaska Menominee North Pier LightMichigan Copper Harbor Rear Range LightMichigan Burrows Island LightWashington Alpena LightMichigan Cape Meares LighthouseOregon Point Bonita LightCalifornia Pipe Island LightMichigan Ontonagon Harbor West Pierhead LightMichigan Munising Rear Range LightMichigan Cheboygan Crib LightMichigan Holland Harbor LightMichiganMarshall Point LightMaine Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance LightMichiganPresque Isle Harbor Breakwater LightMichigan Point No Point LightWashington Point Montara LightCaliforniaPoint Fermin LightCaliforniaOwls Head LightMaineMukilteo LightWashington Guard Island LightAlaskaAdmiralty Head LightWashington Muskegon Pier LightMichigan Punta Gorda LightCaliforniaFort Point LightCaliforniaYerba Buena IslandCaliforniaTrinidad Head LightCaliforniaPoint Retreat LightAlaskaCape Spencer LightAlaskaEagle River LightMichigan West Point LightWashington Cedar Key LightFloridaCopper Harbor Front Range LightMichigan Lime Point LightCaliforniaBush Point LightWashington St. Clair Flats South Channel Front Range LightMichigan
Highest focal plane
462 feet (141 m) - Old Point Loma lighthouse, California 422 feet (129 m) - Cape Mendocino Light, California 420 feet (128 m) - Makapuu Point Light, Hawaii 395 feet (120 m) - Navassa Island Light, Navassa Island 358 feet (109 m) - Farallon Island Light, California 294 feet (90 m) - Point Reyes Light, California 278 feet (76 m) - Marcus Hook Range Rear Light, Delaware 277 feet (84 m) - Anacapa Island Light, California 273 feet (83 m) - Point Sur Light, California 258 feet (79 m) - Block Island Southeast Light, Rhode Island (since its move to higher ground) 235 feet (71 m) - Cape Hinchinbrook Light, Alaska 214 feet (65 m) - Alcatraz Island Light, California 213 feet (65 m) - Molokaʻi Light, Hawaii 196 feet (60 m) - Trinidad Head Light, California 192 feet (59 m) - Cape Hatteras Light, North Carolina 191 feet (58 m) - Pensacola Lighthouse, Florida 185 feet (56 m) - Point Vicente Light, California 183 feet (56 m) - Highland (Cape Cod) Light, Massachusetts 180 feet (55 m) - Cape Charles Light, Cape Charles, Virginia 180 feet (55 m) - Fire Island Light, New York 180 feet (55 m) - Seguin Light, Maine 178 feet (54 m) - Monhegan Island Light, Maine 176 feet (54 m) - Table Bluff Light, California 170 feet (52 m) - Cape Sarichef Light, Alaska 169 feet (51 m) - Oak Island Light, North Carolina 168 feet (51 m) - Montauk Point Light, New York 166 feet (51 m) - Cape Ann Light, Massachusetts 165 feet (50 m) - Barnegat Light, New Jersey 163 feet (50 m) - Charleston Light, South Carolina 161 feet (49 m) - St. Augustine Light, Florida 159 feet (48 m) - Ponce de Leon Inlet Light, Florida 155 feet (47 m) - Point Arena Light, California 154 feet (43 m) - Assateague Light, Virginia 151 feet (46 m) - Dry Tortugas Light, Florida 148 feet (45 m) - Pigeon Point Light, California 146 feet (45 m) - Jupiter Inlet Light, Florida 144 feet (44 m) - St. George Reef Light, California 142 feet (43 m) - Piedras Blancas Light, California 140 feet (43 m) - Point Bonita Light, California 137 feet (42 m) - Boon Island Light, Maine 137 feet (42 m) - Cape Canaveral, Florida 134 feet (41 m) - Dice Head Light, Maine 130 feet (40 m) - Rock of Ages Light, Michigan 125 feet (38 m) - White Shoal Light, Michigan 125 feet (38 m) - Mobile Point Light, Alabama 123 feet (38 m) - Petit Manan Light, Maine 120 feet (37 m) - Sand Key Light, Florida 119 feet (36 m) - Grosse Point Light, Illinois 116 feet (35 m) - San Luis Obispo Light, California 111 feet (34 m) - Wind Point Light, Wisconsin 110 feet (34 m) - Fort Point Light, California 110 feet (30 m) - Bald Head Light, North Carolina 113 feet (34 m) - Rawley Point Light, Wisconsin 106 feet (32 m) - Eagle Island Light, Maine 105 feet (35 m) - Cape Spencer Light, Alaska 105 feet (32 m) - Baker Island Light, Maine 105 feet (32 m) - Sturgeon Bay Canal Light, Wisconsin 102 feet (31 m) - Sanibel Island Light, Florida 101 feet (31 m) - St. Croix River Light, Maine 101 feet (22 m) - Portland Head Light, Maine 100 feet (30 m) - Point Fermin Light, California 100 feet (30 m) - Owls Head Light, Maine 100 feet (30 m) - Key West Light, Florida 96 feet (29 m) - Cape Decision Light, Alaska 95 feet (29 m) - Yerba Buena Island, California 92 feet (28 m) - Heron Neck Light, Maine 91 feet (28 m) - Libby Island Light, Maine 91 feet (28 m) - Eldred Rock Light, Alaska 90 feet (27 m) - Old Cape Henry Light, Virginia 89 feet (27 m) - Point Pinos Light, California 89 feet (27 m) - Cana Island Light, Wisconsin 88 feet (27 m) - Point Loma Light (new), California 86 feet (26 m) - Tree Point Light, Alaska 86 feet (26 m) - Sentinel Island Light, Alaska 85 feet (26 m) - Cape St. Elias Light, Alaska 84 feet (26 m) - Point Cabrillo Light, California