Nashua, NH Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)

Nashua Land Use Code Chapter 190 Article X regulates signs (messages mounted to convey commercial or non-commercial information), but residential holiday lights, wreaths, garlands, inflatables, and similar seasonal decorations are not treated as 'signs' requiring a permit when they convey only a holiday/seasonal message and do not advertise a business. § 190-97 et seq. establish content neutrality — 'no sign shall be subject to any limitation based on the content of the message contained on such sign' — so any decoration that does fall within the sign definition is treated the same as any other temporary sign and may be displayed for up to 30 days under § 190-106 (max 32 sq ft, max 8 ft tall, 10-foot setback from ROW). There is no fixed calendar-based take-down date in the Nashua Revised Ordinances for residential holiday displays. Practical limits come from: (1) Chapter 285 (Streets and Sidewalks) — decorations may not obstruct the public sidewalk or right-of-way; (2) Chapter 182 (Housing Standards) Article V Structural Standards — all exterior property areas must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage, and accessory structures and exterior walls must be kept in good repair; and (3) Chapter 240 (Noise) — audio from inflatables, speakers, or motorized displays is constrained by the city's general noise rules during night-time quiet hours. Commercial holiday signage (e.g., a 'Christmas Trees For Sale' sign at a retail lot) is regulated as a temporary commercial sign under § 190-106. Enforcement is complaint-driven through Nashua Code Enforcement.