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Madera, CA Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Removal deadline
14 days after the holiday
Permit needed
No, if timely removed
Disguised ads
Excluded from the exemption
Governing section
Madera Municipal Code § 10-6.04(Q)
Applies to
Christmas, Thanksgiving, July 4th, similar holidays

Summary

Madera exempts holiday greetings and seasonal decorations from sign permits, but they must come down within 14 days after the holiday, and an advertising sign disguised as a decoration does not qualify for the exemption.

(Q) Seasonal decorations. Holiday greetings, decorations, and displays, such as relate to Christmas, Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July, and the like, such that said seasonal decorations are removed within 14 days after the appurtenant holiday event, and excluding advertising signs disguised as seasonal decorations;

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-50: Current through Ordinance 1010 C.S., passed 6-5-24).

Full Breakdown

04(Q), part of the sign chapter's exempt-signs list, covers seasonal decorations, defined to include holiday greetings, decorations and displays such as those relating to Christmas, Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July, and similar holidays. 03(A) comes with one binding condition: the seasonal decorations must be removed within 14 days after the appurtenant holiday event. The provision also closes an obvious loophole, excluding from the exemption any advertising sign that is merely disguised as a seasonal decoration, meaning a business cannot dress up a permanent commercial sign as a holiday display to dodge the chapter's area limits and permit process. 04's opening paragraph still requires that even exempt signs satisfy other applicable permitting requirements, such as building permits, where those independently apply.

Violations & Fines

A holiday display left up more than 14 days after the holiday, or an advertising sign dressed up as a seasonal decoration to avoid the sign chapter's requirements, loses the exemption and is treated as an unpermitted sign. Under § 10-6.21, a sign found in violation of the chapter is declared a public nuisance and is enforced through the citywide nuisance abatement process in Madera Municipal Code § 10-3.1603.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can holiday lights and decorations stay up in Madera?
Up to 14 days after the holiday. Madera Municipal Code § 10-6.04(Q) exempts seasonal decorations like Christmas or Fourth of July displays from the sign permit requirement, but requires their removal within 14 days after the appurtenant holiday event.
Can a business use a holiday decoration to advertise in Madera without a sign permit?
No. Section 10-6.04(Q) specifically excludes any advertising sign disguised as a seasonal decoration from the exemption, so a commercial message dressed up as a holiday display still needs to comply with the chapter's regular sign permit rules.
Do seasonal decorations need a sign permit in Madera?
No, as long as they are removed within 14 days after the holiday. Section 10-6.04(Q) places seasonal decorations on the sign chapter's exempt list, though other permitting requirements like building permits can still apply under the chapter's general exemption language.

Sources & Official References

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