DeKalb County, GA Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- DeKalb County Code § 21-2
- Scope
- Unincorporated DeKalb County only
- Permit needed
- No: excluded from sign definition
- Cities with own code
- Decatur, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Tucker, Stonecrest
Summary
In unincorporated DeKalb County, seasonal holiday decorations are excluded from the sign code's definition of a 'sign,' so residents don't need a sign permit to put up lights, wreaths, or yard displays.
Sign shall mean a device, structure or representation for visual communication which is used for the purpose of bringing the subject thereof to the attention of others. For purposes of this chapter, the term "sign" shall include the structure upon which a sign face is located. Flags and banners shall be included within this definition only as provided elsewhere herein. Seasonal holiday decorations shall not be included within the definition of "sign" and regulated as such.
Store front shall mean the exterior wall of a single, undivided unit located within a planned commercial center or business park.
Subdivision sign shall mean any ground sign placed at the intersection of two (2) roads, at least one (1) of which is a public road, with the other road being the main thoroughfare into and out of a commercial or residential subdivision.
Suspended sign shall mean a sign securely suspended above a pedestrian passageway from beneath a canopy or awning and oriented perpendicular to the adjacent building facade.
Tri-faced sign shall mean a sign structure with more than two (2) sign faces situated so that each sign face is facing a different direction.
Wall sign shall mean a sign fastened, placed or painted upon or parallel to the exterior wall of the structure itself, whether front, rear or side of the structure.
Window sign shall mean any sign displayed to an outside observer on or through a window or covering a window.
Full Breakdown
DeKalb County Code Sec. 21-2 defines 'sign' for the county's sign ordinance (chapter 21) but expressly carves out seasonal holiday decorations, stating they 'shall not be included within the definition of "sign" and regulated as such.' That means chapter 21's permit, size, illumination, and placement rules for commercial and residential signs do not apply to holiday lights, wreaths, inflatables, or lawn displays in DeKalb's unincorporated area. This exemption applies only outside DeKalb's cities, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Tucker, Stonecrest, Decatur, Chamblee, Doraville, Clarkston, Avondale Estates, Lithonia, and Pine Lake, plus the small DeKalb sliver of Atlanta, which each enforce their own municipal sign codes.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a holiday display doesn't violate chapter 21 since it's excluded from 'sign' entirely; however, unrelated nuisance or property-maintenance rules could still apply to abandoned displays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for Christmas lights in unincorporated DeKalb County?
Does this rule apply if I live in Decatur or Dunwoody?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DeKalb County
Compare DeKalb County to another location·View the Georgia sign regulations overview
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