A glow-in-the-dark piling cap is described herein that uses glow-in-the-dark materials on a dock piling cap to make pilings to which the cap is installed visible at night without the maintenance hassles of electrical-based lighting. The cap provides typical protection for the piling from the elements as well as lighting to aid boaters and users of the structure associated with the piling to see the piling at night. The glow-in-the-dark substance can be coated on the piling cap or mixed into the plastic, resin, or other material used to make the cap. The use of glow-in-the-dark materials eliminates any need for maintenance. Thus, the glow-in-the-dark piling cap provides protection for the piling, and maintenance-free lighting to alert boaters and users of the structure associated with the piling to nighttime hazards.