Disclosed is an actuator for a piezoelectric cigarette or utility lighter with a LED penlight incorporated as an independent light source. The actuator is located at the top of a standard piezoelectric lighter behind the lighter's burner. The actuator activates the lighter when it is depressed and makes contact with a piezoelectric unit that initiates release of gas into the burner while simultaneously emitting a spark in the area of the burner to ignite the gas. The penlight feature consists of an LED light assembly incorporated into the actuator's top cap situated so as to depress the piezoelectric unit. The LED light assembly consists of a light emitting diode mounted on a platform, the whole of which is configured to fit within the LED top cap whereby the platform is a bottom wall of the LED top cap and contains a power source in the form of a battery holder that fits between the piezoelectric unit and the outer casing of the lighter. A pressure switch on the actuator operates the penlight.