Yavapai County, AZ Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempt season
- October 15 through January 15
- Nightly cutoff
- 10:00 PM
- Shielding
- Not required for low-lumen holiday lights
- Roofline limit
- No light aimed above roof eave/parapet
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance Section 603.G.4
Summary
Unincorporated Yavapai County exempts low-lumen holiday decorative lighting from the county's shielding rules between October 15 and January 15, letting it run unshielded until 10 PM, but bars aiming any of it above the roofline under Zoning Section 603.G.4.
Holiday Decorations. Low-lumen output holiday decorative lighting may be unshielded and remain on until 10:00 PM from October 15th to January 15th. No lights may be aimed in such a way that light is projected over or above the top of the roof, i.e., the highest parapet or roof eave.
Full Breakdown
4 (Holiday Decorations) carves a seasonal exception out of the county's otherwise strict outdoor lighting standards. 6. The exemption runs on a fixed calendar window, from October 15th through January 15th each year, tying the display season to the traditional fall-through-winter holiday period rather than leaving it open-ended. The one hard limit that survives inside the exemption: no holiday lights may be aimed so that light projects over or above the top of the roof, meaning the highest parapet or roof eave on the structure.
That roofline cap exists because Section 603's broader purpose, stated in subsection A, is to curb sky glow and light trespass across the county's dark skies, and an unshielded display aimed skyward would defeat that purpose even during the holiday window. Outside the October 15 to January 15 dates, or once the display is aimed above the roofline, the fixture reverts to the ordinance's normal shielding, lumen-count, and Class rules.
Violations & Fines
Running holiday lighting unshielded outside the October 15-January 15 window, past 10:00 PM, or aimed above the roofline is a civil violation of Section 603 enforced under Section 205. Civil penalties run up to $750 per day for an individual or $10,000 per day for a business entity under Section 206.A, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do my holiday lights need to be shielded like other outdoor lighting in unincorporated Yavapai County?
How late can holiday lights stay on?
Can I point holiday lights up at the roof or sky for a display?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yavapai County
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