Yuba City, CA Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)

Sec. 6305 lists the sign types exempt from the Planning permit requirements of Yuba City's sign article, and subsection (f) covers decorative holiday decorations and lights, provided that such displays are removed within 60 days of their installation. Because this sits among the exempt signs of Sec. 6305, a compliant holiday display also does not count toward a property's total sign area limit under the article, and no zone clearance or sign permit is needed for it the way Sec. 6304 requires for other signage.

The exemption is conditioned entirely on timing: a homeowner or business that puts up string lights, inflatable figures, or similar seasonal decorations on November 1 must take them down by December 30 to stay within the 60-day window regardless of which holiday is being marked. There is no numeric size or brightness limit specific to holiday displays the way there is for other exempt categories like open/closed signs (six square feet) or garage sale signs, so the sole operative constraint is the 60-day removal deadline.

Displays left up longer lose their exempt status and would need to comply with the article's general standards, including the illumination rules in Sec. 6308(e), which require shielding to avoid light spillage or glare onto neighboring properties and rights-of-way, and the prohibition on flashing or animated signs in Sec. 6306(b), which exempts date, time, and temperature signs but not necessarily decorative lighting effects.