Queen Anne's County, MD Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)

Section 18:1-81 of the Queen Anne's County Code sets the baseline for signs: a person may not erect, alter, or relocate any sign without first obtaining a sign permit under Part 7 of Chapter 18:1. Subsection A(2) then lists signs allowed without a permit, and item (p) covers displays, including lighting, erected in connection with the observance of County, state, or federally recognized holidays. The one printed condition is the removal deadline: the display must be removed within 10 days following the holiday. Because the exemption names lighting, strings of lights fall under the same 10-day clock as banners and yard figures.

The same section keeps other limits in force in unincorporated Queen Anne's County, Kent Island included. It bars flashing, fluttering, undulating, swinging, rotating, or otherwise moving signs, pennants, and other decorations, with exceptions for time and temperature signs and other permitted electronic signs. It prohibits any sign that obstructs a clear view of traffic along a street right-of-way, entrance, or exit, and a sign other than one of a duly constituted governing body cannot project or be located within road right-of-way lines.

Ordinary yard ornaments are handled in § 18:1-40. A structure, other than a sign, that is designed and reasonably considered to be solely ornamental or decorative, and serves no other purpose or function, can be located at any place on any lot without zoning approval under Part 7. On a residential lot the same section separately exempts a single flagpole and a birdhouse, bird feeder, or bird bath, or combination of them, that does not dominate any yard. Residents of Centreville, Queenstown, Church Hill, Sudlersville, Barclay, Templeville, and the incorporated part of Millington follow their own town codes instead of this county chapter.