Winter Holiday Lighting & Display Rules by City (2026)

What You Can and Can't Put Up

251 locations4 strict46 moderate130 permissive

Find the rules for your area:

Compare holiday decoration rules across cities. Find size limits, timing restrictions, and whether inflatable displays are allowed in your area.

The table below breaks down the rules across 42 states and 251 cities and counties. Every entry is based on the actual municipal code for that location, not a guess or a generic template. Click any location to see the full ordinance details, including fines, exceptions, and local FAQs.

Rules by State

Each state is colored by the most common local rule. Click a state to see the cities and counties we cover there.

State	Locations	Strict	Moderate	Permissive	Overall
Texas	50	-	6	44	Few Restrictions
California	40	1	22	17	Some Restrictions
Florida	13	1	4	8	Few Restrictions
Georgia	10	-	2	8	Few Restrictions
Colorado	8	1	3	4	Few Restrictions
Michigan	7	-	4	3	Some Restrictions
North Carolina	6	-	-	6	Few Restrictions
Tennessee	6	-	1	5	Few Restrictions
Utah	6	-	3	3	Some Restrictions
Virginia	6	-	1	5	Few Restrictions
Washington	6	-	1	5	Few Restrictions
Arizona	5	-	1	4	Few Restrictions
Missouri	5	-	1	4	Few Restrictions
New Jersey	5	-	1	4	Few Restrictions
Wisconsin	5	-	1	4	Few Restrictions
Massachusetts	4	-	2	2	Some Restrictions
New York	4	-	2	2	Some Restrictions
Pennsylvania	4	-	3	1	Some Restrictions
Alabama	3	-	-	3	Few Restrictions
Idaho	3	-	1	2	Few Restrictions
Illinois	3	-	-	3	Few Restrictions
Maryland	3	-	-	3	Few Restrictions
Nevada	3	1	1	1	Heavy Restrictions
New Mexico	3	-	1	2	Few Restrictions
Delaware	2	1	-	1	Heavy Restrictions
Kansas	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
Louisiana	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
Nebraska	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
Ohio	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
Oklahoma	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
Oregon	2	-	-	2	Few Restrictions
South Carolina	2	-	1	1	Some Restrictions
Alaska	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
Arkansas	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
Connecticut	1	-	1	-	Some Restrictions
Indiana	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
Iowa	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
Kentucky	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
Minnesota	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
North Dakota	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
Rhode Island	1	-	-	1	Few Restrictions
Mississippi	0	-	-	-	Heavy Restrictions

How Cities Compare

These rankings are based on verified municipal code data, not opinion. A "strict" rating means the city has heavy restrictions, high fines, or outright bans. "Permissive" means few or no local restrictions beyond state law.

Most Restrictive

1
North Port, FL
North Port's sign code defines any air-inflated, blower-powered display as an inflatable sign and bans balloon and inflatable signs citywide, with no exception in the ordinance text for seasonal or holiday displays.
2
New Castle County, DE
New Castle County's Unified Development Code bans balloons and other air- or gas-filled figures outright as signs in every zoning district of the unincorporated county, with no seasonal or noncommercial exception.
3
Longmont, COnone (unlike pennants/windsocks)
Longmont's sign code flatly prohibits inflatable signs -- balloons, inflatable figures, and similar fluttering or revolving devices -- with no seasonal or temporary-permit exception, unlike pennants and windsocks.
4
Reno, NV
Reno's sign code defines any device that grabs public attention as a "sign," and Section 18.05.109 flatly bans inflatable signs citywide, sweeping in blow-up Santas, snowmen, and other holiday inflatables on private lawns.

Fewest Restrictions

1
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis's exterior lighting ordinance carves out an exception for temporary decorative seasonal lighting, so holiday lights aren't subject to the city's foot-candle limits or shielding rules.
2
Racine County, WINone set by county
Temporary holiday decorations or displays carrying no commercial message need no zoning permit anywhere in Racine County's zoning districts, and the county code sets no fixed removal date or size cap for them.
3
Apex, NC
Apex's UDO bans permanent illuminated tubing and string lights on trees, rooflines, and building walls, but carves out an explicit exception for reasonable, customary holiday decorations, plus a twice-yearly rotation rule for Town-owned trees.
4
Knoxville, TN
Holiday and seasonal lighting displays are fully exempt from Knoxville's exterior lighting standards: no footcandle cap, cutoff-luminaire rule, or lighting plan applies under the zoning code.
5
Providence, RI$500 per day, per violation
Providence's zoning ordinance permits temporary holiday decorations, including string lights, in every zoning district with no display-period limit: unlike banners, attention-getting devices, and construction signs, all capped under Article 16.
6
Newport News, VANone for pure holiday decor
Temporary holiday decorations that don't carry a commercial message fall entirely outside Newport News's sign code, so no permit, size limit, or removal deadline applies to seasonal lights, wreaths, or lawn displays.
7
Henderson, NVNot required for holiday decorations
Henderson exempts holiday decorations from sign construction permits and temporary decorative lighting from electrical permits, so residents and businesses can put up seasonal string lights and displays without pulling a city permit first.
8
Tulsa, OK
Tulsa's zoning code exempts temporary holiday light displays from the outdoor lighting chapter's shielding, glare, and light-trespass standards, so seasonal lights don't need a lighting plan or footcandle compliance.
9
Camarillo, CANo
Camarillo exempts seasonal holiday and religious lighting displays from its outdoor lighting permit and design rules under Municipal Code Section 19.47.090(H), with no stated duration limit. The only condition is that glare cannot pose a safety hazard to pedestrians or drivers, or create a nuisance to vehicular traffic.
10
Palm Beach County, FL
Palm Beach County exempts temporary holiday lighting from its outdoor lighting standards, no permit or photometric plan needed, unless the display creates a safety hazard or glare nuisance under the county's lighting code.

All 251 Locations

Every city and county below has verified ordinance data for this topic. Click any location for the full breakdown including fines, exceptions, and local FAQs.

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions come from the most common things people ask about this topic across different cities.

How long can I leave up holiday lights in Bakersfield?

Sixty consecutive days. Bakersfield Municipal Code § 17.71.060.F exempts 'seasonal decorations provided they are not in use longer than sixty consecutive days' from the city's outdoor lighting standards. Keep a display running longer than that and it has to comply with the full glare, shielding and directional requirements of Chapter 17.71.

Do string lights on my own house need a permit?

No. Section 17.71.060.H separately exempts lighting on any single-unit residentially zoned lot, or a multi-unit lot with four units or less, from Chapter 17.71 entirely. The 60-day seasonal-decoration exemption mainly matters for commercial properties and larger multi-family sites.

What counts as a violation of the outdoor lighting rules for holiday lights?

Running a seasonal display past 60 consecutive days, aiming light upward, using blinking or revolving fixtures, or letting glare spill onto a neighboring property all fall outside the exemption and the general prohibitions in § 17.71.070, and can draw a code enforcement citation under § 17.72.010.

Does Evanston limit how bright holiday lights can be?

No. Section 402.4 exempts holiday lighting from the citywide 0.5 foot-candle cap, but it must still meet NFPA 70 National Electric Code wiring standards.

What exterior lighting rule applies the rest of the year?

Non-holiday exterior lighting is capped at 0.5 foot-candle at the property line, with a separate exception for motion-activated security lighting.

How early can I put up holiday lights in Downey?

Up to 45 days before the holiday. Municipal Code Table 9.6.1 sets that as the earliest date a holiday light, decoration or display can go up under the sign code's exempt-sign schedule, and no permit is required to display it.

When do holiday decorations have to come down in Downey?

Within 14 days after the holiday, per Table 9.6.1 of Municipal Code § 9612. Leaving them up longer strips the display of its exempt status, and it becomes an illegal sign that the City Planner can order removed under § 9626.

Is a permit required for holiday lighting in Downey?

No. Holiday lights, decorations and displays are listed as an exempt sign under Table 9.6.1, so no sign permit or fee applies, unlike temporary banners or window signs elsewhere in Chapter 6 that do require one.