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Temple, TX Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)

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

Key Facts

Display window
45 days before to 14 days after
Permit required
No
Maximum area
None specified (N/A)
Where it applies
All districts except residential and agricultural
Governing section
UDC Sec. 7.6.8

Summary

Temple's Unified Development Code lets holiday decorations, including string lights, go up in commercial and other non-residential districts starting 45 days before a holiday, with no permit required, but they must come down within 14 days after.

Holiday Decoration | All except res. and AG | N/A | No | From 45 days before to 14 days after celebration

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Reformat).

Full Breakdown

The UDC's sign-standards table (Sec. 7.6.8) lists 'Holiday Decoration', defined as a decorative display incidental to a national or religious holiday, which covers holiday lighting, as an unpermitted sign category with no maximum area, allowed in every zoning district except residential and agricultural. The table's Time Limit column caps the display period: 'From 45 days before to 14 days after' the celebration. That window is the whole rule, no fee, no application, just a start and end date. Lights left up outside that window are treated as an unpermitted sign like any other, subject to the code's standard sign-removal and enforcement process.

Violations & Fines

Displays left up past 14 days after the holiday are treated as unpermitted signs; code enforcement can order removal, and continued noncompliance can lead to municipal court citation under the UDC's sign enforcement provisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for holiday lights in Temple?
No. Temple's UDC treats holiday decorations, including lights, as an unpermitted sign type in commercial and other non-residential districts: the only rule is the display-timing window in Sec. 7.6.8.
How long can holiday lights stay up in Temple?
The UDC's sign table allows display starting 45 days before the holiday and requires removal within 14 days after it ends.
Does the 45-day rule apply to lights on a house?
The Sec. 7.6.8 table excludes residential and agricultural districts, so this specific timing standard governs commercial and other non-residential properties, not typical single-family homes.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Temple

Building Safety: Building PermitsSignificant RestrictionsWindow SignsSome RestrictionsGarage Sale SignsSignificant RestrictionsDigital BillboardsSignificant RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage TreesSome RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Artificial TurfFew RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Weed OrdinancesSome RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Tree TrimmingSome RestrictionsBusiness Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail LicenseSome Restrictions

All Temple rules

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Holiday Displays in Nearby Cities

How other cities in Bell County handle holiday displays.

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