Valencia County, NM Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Exemption
- Temporary holiday lights and displays
- Wattage/color/calendar limit
- None stated in code
- Condition
- Display must remain "temporary"
- Permit required
- None
- Max penalty if exemption lost
- $300 fine or 90 days jail
Summary
Temporary holiday lights and lighting displays are fully exempt from unincorporated Valencia County's lighting nuisance rules under Chapter 92, so a homeowner's seasonal display isn't held to the shielding, traffic-hazard or steady-light standards that apply to ordinary outdoor lighting the rest of the year.
(B) Exceptions. The following types of lighting shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter: ... (4) Holiday displays. Temporary holiday lights or lighting displays;
Full Breakdown
22(B) lists six categories of lighting exempt from the provisions of this chapter, the lighting nuisance section that otherwise requires outdoor fixtures to be shielded, non-hazardous to traffic, and non-blinking above 8 feet. 22(B)(4), is 'Holiday displays. Temporary holiday lights or lighting displays,' a two-word category with no listed wattage cap, color restriction, or calendar window in the printed code. 22(A). ), and lighting for county-authorized recreational activities. The section does not separately define 'temporary,' so the county's Code Enforcement office would evaluate a complaint about a holiday display left up for months against that ordinary meaning rather than a numeric deadline printed in the ordinance.
No permit or registration is mentioned for holiday displays anywhere in Chapter 92, so a seasonal light display in the unincorporated county needs no county sign-off before going up.
Violations & Fines
A holiday display that stops being temporary and becomes effectively permanent lighting loses the § 92.22(B)(4) exemption and can be evaluated under the ordinary lighting nuisance standards in § 92.22(A). If it's cited as a nuisance, § 92.99 sets the penalty at a fine of no more than $300, imprisonment of no more than 90 days, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a holiday light display in unincorporated Valencia County?
Is there a limit on how bright a holiday display can be?
How long can I leave holiday lights up?
What happens if a holiday display is left up too long and a neighbor complains?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Valencia County
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