Lansing, MI Holiday Decorations: Holiday Light Rules (2026)

Lansing's municipal code does not impose a take-down deadline for residential holiday lights and does not cap the size, intensity, or duration of seasonal displays on private property. The sign code in Lansing Code Chapter 1218 regulates commercial and freestanding signage but exempts non-commercial residential displays. Practical limits on a typical holiday display come from three sources. First, Lansing Code Chapter 656 (Anti-Noise Ordinance) prohibits unreasonable noise audible at the property line and applies a stricter standard between 10 pm and 7 am — amplified music synced to a light display is the most common citation pathway, particularly for elaborate Halloween and Christmas shows that draw crowds and music played over outdoor speakers. Second, the general nuisance provisions in Lansing Code Chapter 654 can reach severe light trespass that materially interferes with a neighbor's use and enjoyment of property (typically a flood-lit display that shines directly into a bedroom window night after night). Third, electrical safety is governed by the Michigan Electrical Code (adopted under the Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1501), which requires outdoor receptacles to be GFCI-protected and outdoor extension cords to be rated for wet locations. Properties in the Genesee Neighborhood Historic District and other Local Historic Districts must obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness for permanent exterior lighting installations under MCL 399.205, though temporary seasonal strings are generally exempt. HOA-controlled developments commonly impose take-down dates (typically January 31 or February 15) through CC&Rs enforced as private contract matters.