Gaithersburg, MD Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempt size
- 20 sq ft or smaller, 8 ft or shorter
- Display window
- Within 20 days of the holiday/event
- Illumination
- Permitted for exempt seasonal signs
- Multifamily oversize threshold
- Over 12 sq ft or 6 ft tall
- Non-residential oversize threshold
- Over 20 sq ft or 8 ft tall
- Adopted
- Ord. No. O-5-24, effective July 15, 2024
Summary
Gaithersburg exempts holiday and seasonal signs from permits under City Code § 24-8.4(A)(7): a temporary sign of 20 square feet or less and 8 feet or shorter, with no foundation, can go up within 20 days of a recognized holiday or seasonal event and may be illuminated. Larger seasonal signs on multifamily or nonresidential property lose the regulatory exemption and need a permit.
(7)Seasonal event signs. Temporary signs twenty (20) square feet in size or smaller and eight (8) feet or shorter in height with no foundation, and displayed within twenty (20) days of a seasonal event or officially recognized federal, state, or local holiday are not subject to the regulatory and permitting provisions of this article. Such signs may be illuminated. ...(2)Temporary signs larger than twelve (12) square feet in surface area or taller than six (6) feet in height that are located on a property used for a multifamily use, and that are displayed within twenty (20) days of a seasonal event or officially recognized federal, state, or local holiday.(3)Temporary signs larger than twenty (20) square feet in surface area or taller than eight (8) feet in height that are located on a non-residential property, and that are displayed within twenty (20) days of a seasonal event or officially recognized federal, state, or local holiday.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
The exemption is part of Article 8, Signage Standards (Ord. No. O-5-24, July 15, 2024). 4(A)(7) frees seasonal event signs from both the regulatory and permitting provisions of the sign article: a temporary sign of twenty square feet or smaller and eight feet or shorter, with no foundation, displayed within twenty days of a seasonal event or an officially recognized federal, state or local holiday, needs no permit, is not counted toward a property's total allowable signage, and may be illuminated. 4(A)(8) for other temporary signs six square feet or smaller. 6 even though it is not subject to every article 8 standard.
Violations & Fines
Because seasonal signs above the exempt thresholds still need a permit, installing one without applying under § 24-8.6 is enforceable the same as any other unpermitted sign: the city manager or a designee can inspect the property, order the sign removed under § 24-15.1(C), and remove it directly and bill the owner if the order is not followed. A denial or removal order can be appealed to the board of appeals under § 24-12.9, Administrative review.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put up holiday decorations with signage in Gaithersburg?
Do I need a permit for a holiday sign?
How long can a seasonal sign stay up?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gaithersburg
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Holiday Displays in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Montgomery County handle holiday displays.