Tacoma, WA Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)

Free-standing ornaments and statuary placed on private residential property are not regulated by Tacoma Municipal Code by size, content, quantity, or theme provided they remain below the 15-foot detached accessory-structure height cap in TMC 13.06 and are not anchored as permanent structures triggering setback rules. Lawn ornaments are not signs under TMC 13.06.520 unless they bear commercial messaging. Political signs on residential property are protected speech under the First Amendment; Tacoma's sign code permits temporary political signs in residential zones subject to viewpoint-neutral size and setback rules. Religious displays receive the same constitutional protection. Encroachment into the public sidewalk, planting strip, or street is prohibited under TMC 9.18 (Streets and Sidewalks) — placing permanent ornaments in the right-of-way without a Public Works encroachment permit is a violation, and the city may remove the items at owner expense. HOA CC&Rs may impose stricter aesthetic rules; the city does not enforce HOA covenants.