The District of Columbia does not impose specific install-by or take-down-by dates for holiday lights on private property. City-wide regulation is limited to general nuisance law, the residential noise ordinance for amplified audio displays, and Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) jurisdiction over permanent fixtures in historic districts. The primary regulators are condominium associations, cooperative boards, and HOAs in newer developments such as The Yards, NoMa, and CityCenterDC.
DC has no holiday-light ordinance and no take-down deadline. Three general controls can apply: (1) D.C. Code § 22-3302 (unlawful entry) and right-of-way encroachment rules prohibit lighting extending into public sidewalks or streets without a public space permit from DDOT; (2) DC noise control regulations at 20 DCMR Chapter 27 set residential limits of 60 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime — relevant to displays with amplified music or sound effects; (3) HPRB jurisdiction in any historic district may extend to permanent attachment hardware drilled into historic facades, though seasonal lighting fastened with non-damaging hooks is generally not regulated. The dominant regulators are private. Condominium associations and co-op boards — which govern most multi-unit buildings in DC — typically restrict exterior decoration through bylaws. Newer planned developments with HOAs (The Yards, Capitol Riverfront, Walter Reed) impose detailed seasonal-decoration rules. Single-family rowhouse owners without an HOA face essentially no regulation on holiday lights other than nuisance and noise law. Federal-flag protocol does not apply to lighting on private property.
Right-of-way encroachment: DDOT removal and citation. Noise violation (amplified audio): DOEE noise enforcement under 20 DCMR 27, fines from $500. HPRB violation: required removal of permanent damage, fines. HOA/condo: per governing document fine schedule.
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