Tallahassee, FL Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)

The Tallahassee Code of Ordinances does not regulate the number, size, or style of decorative lawn ornaments, statuary, fountains, or religious yard displays at single-family or duplex properties through city ordinance. Political signs are protected as First Amendment speech under the Reed v. Town of Gilbert content-neutrality framework and are governed by Tallahassee sign provisions only for size — not content; signs in residential zones are generally permitted up to specified square footage. The Tallahassee general property maintenance and nuisance provisions can address damaged or deteriorated ornaments only when they have become a blight condition under Code Enforcement standards. Historic districts (Calhoun Street, Park Avenue, Smokey Hollow) are governed by the Architectural Review Board. Temporary seasonal ornaments are typically exempt; permanent visible installations (statuary, masonry fountains, large-scale permanent decorative features) require a Certificate of Appropriateness. HOA and subdivision associations retain authority under Fla. Stat. Chapter 720 (Homeowners' Associations) to regulate exterior decorations through their declarations; the Florida HOA Act governs association procedure including notice and fine procedure under § 720.305. The federal Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 prevents HOAs from banning reasonable U.S. flag displays, and Fla. Stat. § 720.304(2) provides additional Florida-specific protection for the U.S. flag, the official Florida state flag, POW-MIA flag, and military service flags at parcels not exceeding 4½ x 6 feet. Tallahassee neighborhoods like Indianhead-Lehigh, Betton Hills, and Myers Park have informal but vibrant lawn-ornament traditions.