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Washington County, MN Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Exempt use
Temporary lighting during customary holiday seasons
What's waived
Section 1.8 shielding and foot-candle intensity limits
Also exempt
Civic-event, airport, and emergency lighting
Not exempt
Flashing lights and search lights (Sec. 1.8(5))
Duration limit
None stated in the Development Code

Summary

Washington County's outdoor lighting standards do not apply to temporary lighting used during customary holiday seasons. The Development Code carves out this exemption alongside civic-event lighting, airport lighting and emergency lighting, so seasonal light displays skip the shielding and intensity limits imposed on year-round outdoor fixtures.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Washington County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(1) Exemptions. The standards of this section shall not apply to the following: (A) Temporary holiday lighting. The Development Code does not prohibit the use of temporary outdoor lighting used during customary holiday seasons.

View official code

Full Breakdown

8(1) of the Development Code lists four categories of outdoor lighting exempt from the section's shielding, intensity and permitting standards. 8(4). 8(1)(D)). The Development Code does not define 'customary holiday seasons' or set a maximum display duration, and it does not require a lighting permit for these temporary displays. 8(5), are written without a holiday carve-out, so a strobing or search-light-style seasonal display could still draw scrutiny under those provisions. The exemption sits inside Chapter Two, effective June 5, 2018.

Violations & Fines

Because temporary holiday lighting is exempt, no violation attaches to seasonal displays under Section 1.8's shielding or intensity rules. The exemption does not reach Section 1.8(5)'s separate bans on flashing lights and search lights between 11:00 PM and sunrise; a display using those effects can still be cited under Chapter Two's misdemeanor enforcement, Section 9.1.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to put up holiday lights in Washington County?
No. Development Code Section 1.8(1)(A) exempts temporary outdoor lighting used during customary holiday seasons from the section's shielding, intensity and permitting standards, so a typical seasonal light display on a home or business does not require a lighting permit.
Is there a date by which holiday lights must come down?
The Development Code does not set one. Section 1.8(1)(A) only exempts lighting used 'during customary holiday seasons' without defining that phrase or a removal deadline, so no numeric duration limit appears in the county's ordinance.
Can a holiday display use flashing or strobing lights?
That's risky. The holiday exemption in Section 1.8(1)(A) waives the shielding and intensity standards, but Section 1.8(5) separately bans flashing lights and search lights used between 11:00 PM and sunrise without carving out holiday displays, so those effects remain prohibited.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Washington County

Digital BillboardsHeavy RestrictionsWindow SignsFew RestrictionsGarage Sale SignsSome RestrictionsFreeway-Facing SignsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Neighbor Fence RulesLight Restrictions

All Washington County rules

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