Troy, MI Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 13.05.H.3
- Effect
- Exempt from lighting foot-candle/curfew rules
- Duration limit
- None specified in the Zoning Ordinance
- Administrator's reserved power
- Can still require a photometric plan
- Other exemptions listed
- Sports fields, pools, walkway/solar lighting
Summary
Troy's outdoor lighting curfew, foot-candle caps and shielding rules do not apply to holiday decorations. Section 13.05.H.3 of the Zoning Ordinance lists holiday decorations among six categories exempt from Section 13.05's lighting standards, so seasonal displays can stay lit past the 11:00 p.m. cutoff that governs other exterior lighting citywide.
H. Exemptions. The following are exempt from the lighting requirements of this Section, except that the Zoning Administrator may require a lighting and photometric plan when deemed necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare. 1. Sports fields. 2. Swimming pools serving the public or private club members. 3. Holiday decorations. 4. Three (3) foot high, shielded pedestrian walkway lighting. 5. Ornamental low voltage lighting (twelve (12) volts or less), low wattage ornamental landscape lighting fixtures, and solar operated light fixtures having self-contained rechargeable batteries, where any single light fixture does not exceed one hundred (100) lumens. 6. Street lights or lights within a public or private road right-of-way.
Full Breakdown
4. Holiday decorations are the third exemption listed, alongside sports fields, public and private club swimming pools, three-foot shielded pedestrian walkway lighting, low-voltage ornamental and solar landscape fixtures under 100 lumens, and street lights within a road right-of-way. 05 entirely, the ordinance sets no maximum foot-candle level, no shielding requirement and no duration cutoff for a residential or commercial holiday light display; the exemption is a blanket carve-out rather than a display-day limit. H's opening clause lets the Administrator still require a lighting and photometric plan for any exempt category, including holiday decorations, when deemed necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare, so a large commercial display could be asked to submit plans even though the numeric standards never attach.
No other section of Chapter 39 or the general Troy Code sets a start date, end date or maximum run length for holiday lighting displays; a search of both source files (the 31,237-line general code and the 15,977-line Zoning Ordinance) turns up no additional holiday-lighting duration provision beyond this exemption.
Violations & Fines
Because holiday decorations are exempt from Section 13.05's lighting standards, there is no foot-candle, shielding or curfew violation to enforce against a seasonal display under this section. The only enforcement hook is the Zoning Administrator's reserved authority under Section 13.05.H to demand a photometric plan for health, safety or welfare reasons; failing to comply with such a specific administrative request would be handled as a general Zoning Ordinance violation under Section 3.08, a Municipal Civil Infraction under Chapter 100 of the Troy Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave my holiday lights on past 11:00 p.m. in Troy?
Is there a limit on how many days I can keep up holiday lights in Troy?
Does Troy limit how bright my holiday lights can be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Troy
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