Everett does not regulate the duration, hours, or brightness of residential holiday lighting on private property. Seasonal decorations are not treated as permanent signs under EMC Title 19. Practical limits come from glare and nuisance rules and from the prohibition on installing lights in the public right-of-way without a Right-of-Way Use Permit administered by Everett Public Works.
Everett Municipal Code does not include a residential holiday lighting ordinance. Seasonal decorations on private property are not regulated as signs under EMC Title 19, so there is no permit, no removal deadline, no hours-of-illumination cap, and no brightness limit specifically for holiday lights at single-family or multi-family residences. Practical limits come from generally applicable rules: glare and light spillover causing nuisance to neighbors or motorists may be addressed under the city's general nuisance provisions; lights cannot block sight-distance triangles at driveways or street corners under the Public Works Engineering Standards; and any lighting attached to city-owned trees, street-light poles, or installed in the public right-of-way (sidewalk strips, planter strips, alleys) requires a Right-of-Way Use Permit from Everett Public Works under EMC Title 13. Electrical installations must follow the National Electrical Code as adopted by Washington L&I (WAC 296-46B). All exterior cords, plugs, and fixtures must be rated for outdoor wet locations. HOA covenants commonly impose private install-and-remove date windows that are enforced civilly.
On private property, complaints typically proceed under the city's general nuisance and glare provisions, with abatement orders. Unauthorized lighting attached to public trees, poles, or in the right-of-way may be removed by Public Works without notice and may trigger EMC Title 1.20 civil penalties up to $500 per day. Electrical fires from non-NEC-compliant installations may result in cost-recovery billing from Everett Fire.
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