Grand Rapids, MI Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest install
- 60 days before holiday
- Removal deadline
- 20 days after holiday
- Permit needed in window
- None (Director Review waived)
- Governing section
- Zoning Code § 5.2.19.E.3
Summary
Grand Rapids allows seasonal string lighting on homes and buildings without a Director Review permit, but only inside a set window: up to 60 days before the holiday and removed within 20 days after.
Notwithstanding, seasonal lighting displays, including string lighting, may be allowed without Director Review in conjunction with a nationally recognized holiday provided such displays are strung no sooner than sixty (60) days before the holiday and shall be removed within twenty (20) days following the holiday.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).
Full Breakdown
The Zoning Ordinance treats holiday lights as a form of accent lighting that is normally subject to Director Review under Section 5.2.19.E.3. The Code carves out an exception for seasonal displays tied to a nationally recognized holiday: string lighting, luminous tube, LED or fluorescent accent lighting can go up without that review, provided it isn't strung more than 60 days ahead of the holiday and comes down within 20 days afterward. Miss that window and the display falls back under the general accent-lighting rules, which bar lighting used to outline property lines, sales areas, roofs, doors or windows for anything other than safety.
Violations & Fines
The Planning Department enforces the Zoning Ordinance; a display left up past the 20-day removal window loses its exemption and can be cited as a municipal civil infraction under Chapter 170.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put up Christmas lights in Grand Rapids?
What happens if I leave holiday lights up too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Rapids
Compare Grand Rapids to another location·View the Michigan sign regulations overview
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Holiday Displays in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kent County handle holiday displays.