Bellingham, WA Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)

Bellingham Municipal Code Chapter 20.12 (Signs) regulates signs displaying messages but does not classify residential holiday lights, wreaths, garlands, inflatables, or other seasonal decorations as 'signs' requiring a permit when they convey only a seasonal/holiday message and do not advertise a business. The city has no fixed calendar-based take-down ordinance for residential displays, unlike some HOAs that may set their own rules. Practical limits come from other BMC provisions: (1) decorations may not encroach on the public right-of-way or sidewalk (BMC Title 13 — Streets and Sidewalks); (2) decorations may not create a public nuisance under BMC Chapter 10.28 (which declares certain conditions affecting public health, safety, or property values to be nuisances subject to abatement); (3) audio from inflatables, speakers, or motorized displays that is plainly audible from another residence between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is a public-disturbance noise violation under BMC 10.24.120; (4) decorations may not block traffic sight triangles at corner lots; and (5) commercial holiday signage (e.g., a 'Buy Christmas Trees Here' sign at a lot) is regulated as a temporary commercial sign under BMC 20.12.040. Code Compliance enforcement is complaint-driven through BMC Chapter 10.28 procedures: a written notice giving seven days to abate, followed by enforcement action under BMC 10.28.030.