Riverside, CA Holiday Decorations: Holiday Light Rules (2026)

The City of Riverside does not regulate residential holiday light installation dates, removal deadlines, or brightness through the municipal code. Decorative lighting is permitted year-round on private property at both single-family and multi-family residences. The city noise ordinance — RMC Chapter 7.35 (General Noise Regulations) — applies to amplified holiday music or audio. The exterior noise limit at residential property lines is 55 dBA during daytime hours (7 a.m. – 10 p.m.) and 45 dBA during nighttime hours (10 p.m. – 7 a.m.), measured A-weighted slow response at the complainant's property line. Plainly audible amplified music after 10 p.m. can trigger Riverside Police citation or code enforcement under RMC Title 1. Riverside does not have a citywide dark-sky ordinance, though neighbors can pursue private-nuisance claims for light directed into bedroom windows. California Civil Code §4710 prohibits HOAs from banning religious displays smaller than 3 inches square affixed to entry doors; broader holiday displays remain subject to HOA covenant authority. The famous "Festival of Lights" downtown at the Mission Inn is a separately permitted commercial display. Historic Mission Inn Historic District and other historic-overlay properties may face additional Cultural Heritage Board review for permanent decorative fixtures.