Syracuse, NY Holiday Decorations: Holiday Light Rules (2026)

Neither ReZone Syracuse nor Chapter 27 (Property Conservation Code) imposes specific dates by which residential holiday lights and decorations must be installed or removed. Temporary, non-commercial holiday decorations are not treated as regulated signs under the ReZone Syracuse sign provisions. Permanent landscape lighting and any wiring installed to support holiday displays must comply with the New York State Uniform Code, including the National Electrical Code as adopted at 19 NYCRR Part 1228 - exterior cords must be rated for outdoor use, GFCI-protected circuits are required, and extension cords through windows and doors are limited to temporary use. Where holiday lighting creates a glare or trespass-of-light condition that materially interferes with a neighbor's use and enjoyment of their property, the issue can be addressed under Chapter 27 nuisance provisions and as a common-law private nuisance. Code Enforcement does not actively cite homeowners for keeping winter lights up into spring - Syracuse's long winters and Lake Effect snow mean many residents leave lights up through March - but complaints can focus on derelict or commercial installations.