San Diego has no city ordinance specifying installation dates, removal deadlines, or brightness limits for residential holiday lights. Amplified outdoor audio tied to displays must comply with SDMC § 59.5.0401 noise standards (50 dBA residential, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.). Light trespass into neighbors' windows can be cited under nuisance provisions. HOAs typically govern dates and aesthetics under California Civil Code § 4710.
San Diego does not regulate residential holiday light installation, removal dates, or brightness through municipal code. Decorative lighting is permitted year-round on private property. The city noise ordinance, SDMC § 59.5.0401 et seq., applies to amplified audio in holiday displays: the maximum permitted sound level at residential property lines is 50 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Music plainly audible at the property line during nighttime hours triggers citation. San Diego does not have a city-wide dark-sky ordinance, but neighbors can pursue private-nuisance claims for light directed into bedroom windows. California Civil Code § 4710 (the holiday-display protection statute) prohibits HOAs from banning religious displays affixed to entry doors smaller than 3 inches square; broader holiday displays are subject to HOA covenants. The Famous Christmas Card Lane HOA in Rancho Peñasquitos provides a notable example of an HOA-organized holiday district. Properties in historic districts (Gaslamp Quarter, Old Town) may have additional Historical Resources Board guidelines but seasonal displays are generally unrestricted.
Noise ordinance violations are infractions with fines up to $250 first offense, $500 second, $1,000 third under SDMC § 12.0202. Light-trespass nuisance complaints are pursued under SDMC § 12. HOA violations are civil.
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