Residential holiday lighting and seasonal decorations are allowed in unincorporated Riverside County without a permit. Displays must comply with Ordinance 655 Mount Palomar Light Pollution rules in the western portion of the county and must not obstruct the public right-of-way or create traffic hazards. Displays should be removed within a reasonable time after the holiday.
The county does not regulate traditional holiday decorations on private property except through general nuisance, lighting, and traffic-safety codes. In the Mount Palomar Light Pollution Zone (roughly everything within about 45 miles of Palomar Observatory, including Temecula, Murrieta, Hemet, Perris, and Anza) Ordinance 655 requires lighting after 11 p.m. to be shielded or turned off; seasonal string lights and inflatables between Thanksgiving and January 15 are generally exempt but should be extinguished by 11 p.m. where practical. Large-crowd-attracting displays that draw parking onto shoulders of narrow rural roads, block fire apparatus access, or create a public-safety hazard may be cited as a public nuisance under Ordinance 725 even if the display itself is otherwise lawful. Homeowner associations may impose additional timing and aesthetic rules that are not preempted by state law. California Civil Code 1940.2 and 714.1 also protect tenants and unit owners from blanket bans on reasonable holiday decor.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Riverside County code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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