Caldwell, ID Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)

Caldwell's sign code, Chapter 10, Article 2, Section 6, regulates signs broadly but expressly carves holiday decorations out of that scheme. Under § 10-02-06-3(2)(E), holiday decorations and signs of a decorative nature that are incidental and commonly associated with any national, local or religious holiday sit on the list of signs exempted by the code, meaning a homeowner does not need a sign permit, a business license check, or a certificate of zoning compliance to put up a wreath, string lights, or a seasonal yard display.

The exemption still carries two conditions that apply to every sign in that same subsection: the display cannot sit within or project over a public right-of-way, and it must respect vision triangle sightline rules at street corners and driveways. Inflatable lawn displays get their own separate treatment. Section 10-02-06-4(1)(H) bans inflatable signs and other permanent objects which are inflated, including balloons and blimps, as a matter of general sign policy, but immediately excepts temporary, non-commercial uses, specifically stating that balloons may be permitted for special occasions at a residence.

Read together, the two sections mean a Caldwell homeowner can put up an inflatable snowman, string lights, or a holiday scene on a residential lawn without a sign permit, as long as it stays off the right-of-way and does not block sightlines, while a business using the same décor as semi-permanent advertising would fall back under the ordinary commercial sign rules.