Broward County, FL Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Bulb wattage limit
- Under 10 watts per bulb
- Bulb lumens limit
- Under 70 lumens per bulb
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Broward County only
- Governing code
- Chapter 39 Zoning, Sec. 39-112
- Enforcement
- Chapter 8½ Code Enforcement
Summary
Broward County exempts holiday lights from its outdoor lighting standards, but only if each bulb is under 10 watts and 70 lumens: brighter displays must meet the county's full cutoff and glare rules.
(6)Exemptions. The following are exempt from the requirements of this section:a.Emergency declarations. If the Broward County unincorporated area is included in a formal state of emergency declaration by local, state, or federal action, the standards herein shall be temporarily suspended for the duration of the declaration for lighting necessary to address or respond to the declared emergency.b.Emergency, nonstructural, temporary lighting. Law enforcement, fire service, and emergency medical services, and emergency response and management lighting not attached to a fixed structure in a permanent manner.c.Holiday Lights. Holiday lights, provided the individual bulbs are less than ten (10) watts and seventy (70) lumens.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72 | Administrative Code: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Broward County's outdoor lighting code (Chapter 39, Zoning) applies only in the unincorporated area. Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs and the county's other municipalities set their own rules. Within unincorporated Broward, Section 39-112 requires full cutoff fixtures, a 3000K color-temperature cap, and footcandle light-trespass limits for new outdoor lighting, but exempts holiday lights outright provided each individual bulb draws less than 10 watts and produces less than 70 lumens. Strings of lights that exceed either threshold no longer qualify for the exemption and must meet the same fixture, glare, and light-trespass standards as any other permanent outdoor lighting installation.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding 10 watts or 70 lumens per bulb voids the holiday-lights exemption; the installation then must meet Section 39-112's cutoff-fixture, color-temperature and footcandle limits, enforced under Chapter 8½ Code Enforcement citations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do holiday lights need a permit in unincorporated Broward County?
What happens if my holiday lights exceed 10 watts or 70 lumens per bulb?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broward County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Broward County to another location·View the Florida sign regulations overview
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