Holiday Decorations in Boulder, CO (2026)
3 verified holiday decorations rules for Boulder, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Holiday Light Rules
Boulder explicitly carves out holiday and seasonal displays from its Outdoor Lighting Ordinance. BRC 9-9-16 (Light Output) restricts lamps and bulbs visible beyond the property line, but expressly exempts seasonal displays and landscape ornamental lighting. Residential single-detached dwellings using fixtures of 900 lumens or less do not need a lighting plan. The practical limits on residential holiday displays come from the noise ordinance (BRC 5-9-6) for amplified music synced to lights, not from the lighting code itself. There is no city-wide take-down deadline.
Holiday Light Rules in Boulder
Few RestrictionsInflatable Display Rules
Boulder has no ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Size, motor noise, and lighting hours are not capped by the city for private property displays. The constraints are generally applicable: BRC 5-9-6 (electronically amplified sound) and the broader BRC Title 5 Chapter 9 noise provisions for blower motors after 11 pm, BRC Title 9 sight-distance requirements at corner lots, and BRC Title 8 right-of-way rules if placed on the public sidewalk. HOA CC&Rs in deed-restricted neighborhoods typically impose stricter limits.
Inflatable Display Rules in Boulder
Few RestrictionsLawn Ornament Rules
Boulder imposes no general restriction on year-round lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private residential property. The Sign Code in BRC 9-9-21 exempts non-commercial residential displays from permit and size requirements. Political signs receive First Amendment protection. Items placed in the public right-of-way (sidewalks, planter strips) require an encroachment permit under BRC Title 8. The visibility triangle at corner lots is the most common constraint. HOA CC&Rs in deed-restricted neighborhoods often add architectural-review requirements that the city does not.
Lawn Ornament Rules in Boulder
Few RestrictionsLooking for Boulder County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Boulder city rules.
Holiday Decorations in Boulder County →