Paramount, CA Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Display begins
- Thanksgiving Day
- Display ends
- January 15th of the following year
- Removal deadline
- Within 48 hours after January 15th
- Covered lights
- String lights attached to a permitted building, structure or dwelling
- Who decides coverage
- Planning Director, using reasonable judgment
- Appeal deadlines
- 10 days to Development Review Board, 10 days to City Council
Summary
In the City of Paramount, California, exterior winter holiday lights are permitted from Thanksgiving Day until January 15th and must come down within 48 hours after January 15th. The rule covers string lights attached to a building, structure or dwelling. The Planning Director decides what counts as holiday lights, with appeals to the Development Review Board and then the City Council.
I. Exterior Winter Holiday Lights. 1. Exterior winter holiday lights shall be permitted for display beginning on Thanksgiving Day until January 15th of the following year. Exterior winter holiday lights shall be removed within 48 hours after January 15th of each year. For purposes of this section, exterior winter holiday lights are defined as string lights, commonly and customarily associated with the holiday season during those times stated herein, that contain multiple or single colored light bulbs or clear light bulbs and that are attached to a building, structure or dwelling permitted under this chapter. 2. In interpreting and applying the provisions of this subsection, the Planning Director shall use reasonable judgment to determine if a specific string of lights is considered winter holiday lights. 3. The decision of the Planning Director may be appealed to the Development Review Board within 10 days after the decision of the Planning Director,
Full Breakdown
Paramount Municipal Code § 17.08.080(I) sets the display window for exterior winter holiday lights in the R-1 single-family zone. Display is permitted beginning on Thanksgiving Day and running until January 15th of the following year. The lights must be removed within 48 hours after January 15th of each year, so the removal deadline is fixed by the calendar date, not by when the lights went up.
The code defines what is covered. Exterior winter holiday lights are string lights, commonly and customarily associated with the holiday season during the stated times, that contain multiple or single colored light bulbs or clear light bulbs and that are attached to a building, structure or dwelling permitted under the chapter. Lights that do not fit that definition, or that are not attached to a permitted building, structure or dwelling, fall outside this subsection.
The Planning Director applies the definition. Paragraph 2 directs the Director to use reasonable judgment to determine whether a specific string of lights is winter holiday lights. A resident who disagrees has an appeal path with hard deadlines: the Planning Director's decision can be appealed to the Development Review Board within 10 days, and the appeal is heard at the Board's next regularly scheduled meeting. A Development Review Board decision can then be appealed to the City Council within 10 days, and the City Council's decision is final.
Other exterior holiday decorations, such as yard ornaments, are handled in the next subsection, § 17.08.080(J), with a separate timing rule counted from the date of the holiday. The section's history notes Ordinance 1198 (April 22, 2025) and Ordinance 1207 (October 28, 2025).
Violations & Fines
Lights left up after the 48-hour removal period violate Title 17, which makes any violation a misdemeanor under § 17.04.130: a fine of not more than $300.00, up to 90 days in the County Jail, or both. Each day a violation is committed or continued is a separate offense. An enforcement officer can also issue an administrative citation under Chapter 1.08 with a fine set by City Council resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I put up Christmas lights in Paramount?
Which lights count as winter holiday lights in Paramount?
How do I appeal a Planning Director decision on my lights?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Paramount
California rules heatmap·Compare Paramount to another location·View the California sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Holiday Displays in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle holiday displays.