San Jose, CA Holiday Decorations: Holiday Light Rules (2026)

San Jose does not regulate holiday-light installation, energization, brightness, or take-down dates for residential displays. The municipal code's sign regulations in SJMC Chapter 20.120 explicitly exempt temporary holiday and seasonal decorations on private residential property. Where the city does become involved is when a display creates a separate nuisance: amplified outdoor music synced to lights falls under the noise ordinance (SJMC 6.20) with the citywide quiet-hours rule of 10 p.m.-7 a.m.; lights aimed directly into neighboring bedrooms or onto public roadways can be enforced as a nuisance under SJMC 17.20 (light trespass) if documented; and displays drawing crowds that block traffic or sidewalks may be required to obtain a temporary special event permit. Most San Jose households leave displays up from late November to mid-January without issue. HOA communities (Almaden Country Club, Silver Creek, Evergreen Estates) impose their own architectural rules that often require lights down by a specific date such as January 15 or 31; those are enforced by the HOA, not the city.