Fireworks Laws by State (2026)
How each state handles fireworks and the penalties, from each state's code.
| State | Fireworks |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama allows consumer fireworks classified as DOT Class C (1.4G) — including aerial devices, audible ground devices (firecrackers up to 50 mg, aerial devices up to 130 mg of explosive), sparklers and novelties — to be sold at retail to residents; seasonal retailers may sell only June 20 to July 10 and December 15 to January 2. Fireworks may not be sold to children under 16 unless with an adult, or to intoxicated people, and buyers must show a driver's license or state ID. Setting off fireworks within 600 feet of a church, hospital, public school or any enclosed building, within 200 feet of where fireworks are sold or stored, from or into a vehicle, or at people is illegal. Violations are a Class A misdemeanor ($100 to $1,000 fine and/or 30 days to 1 year); making, bringing in, possessing or selling illegal ground salutes larger than consumer limits is a Class C felony ($500 to $5,000 and/or 1 year and 1 day to 10 years). Ala. Code 1975 §§ 8-17-210(7), 8-17-217, 8-17-218, 8-17-220, 8-17-222, 8-17-224 |
| Alaska | Alaska's fireworks law requires a state fire marshal permit to sell consumer fireworks at retail and a license to sell at wholesale, and the Department of Public Safety decides by regulation which fireworks are consumer fireworks and sets standards for their sale, storage and use. Under the state fire code regulations, fireworks may not be sold to anyone under 18, may be sold only from permitted stands at least 250 feet from homes or public assembly buildings, may not be set off within 250 feet of a sales site, and sales and use may be suspended by the fire marshal where wildfire danger is high or extreme. Recklessly failing to comply with the fireworks chapter or its regulations is a class B misdemeanor (up to 90 days and $2,000), each day a separate offense. Cities and boroughs may prohibit or regulate fireworks more strictly than the state. AS 18.72.011, 18.72.020, 18.72.030, 18.72.040, 18.72.060; 13 AAC 50.025 (IFC 5608.11 as amended); AS 12.55.135(b) |
| Arizona | Only 'permissible consumer fireworks' are legal for the public: ground and handheld sparklers, fountains, torches, wheels and ground spinners, toy smoke devices and similar items (plus adult snappers in counties over 500,000). Anything that rises into the air or explodes — firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles, aerial shells and mines — is illegal without a display permit. Sales to anyone under 16 are banned. Retail sales are allowed April 25-May 6, May 20-July 6 and December 10-January 3 (plus Diwali in large jurisdictions); cities and counties may restrict use outside set holiday windows (around Cinco de Mayo in large counties, June 24-July 6 and December 26-January 4) and during stage-one fire restrictions in smaller counties. A violation of the fireworks article carries a $1,000 civil penalty; using fireworks on certain large city preservation lands is a class 1 misdemeanor with a minimum $1,000 fine. A.R.S. §§ 36-1601, 36-1602, 36-1605, 36-1606, 36-1608, 36-1609 |
| Arkansas | Permissible consumer fireworks may be sold at retail to Arkansas residents and used in the state from June 20 through July 10 and from December 10 through January 5; outside those windows they may be sold only from a fixed, permanent retail store. Sales to children under 12, or to anyone known to be intoxicated or irresponsible, are illegal. Novelties such as paper caps, snakes, smoke sticks and sparklers may be sold and used any time. A violation of the fireworks subchapter is a misdemeanor punishable by a $50 to $200 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both. Ark. Code §§ 20-22-711, 20-22-712, 20-22-705 |
| California | Only State Fire Marshal-approved 'safe and sane' fireworks may be sold to the public, and only by licensed retailers from noon June 28 through noon July 6. Retailers may not sell safe and sane fireworks to anyone under 16, no one may give dangerous fireworks to anyone under 18, and possessing dangerous fireworks without a permit is unlawful. Violations are misdemeanors with a $1,000 to $2,000 fine and/or up to 1 year in county jail; possessing larger amounts of dangerous fireworks brings fines of $2,000 to $10,000 (25-100 lbs), $10,000 to $20,000 (100-5,000 lbs) and $20,000 to $100,000 (over 5,000 lbs), with possible felony terms over 100 lbs. Fire protection districts may prohibit or regulate the sale and use of fireworks by ordinance, and a city or county fireworks ordinance prevails over the district's within that city or county. Cal. Health & Safety Code 12529, 12599, 12677, 12689, 12700, 12541.1 |
| Colorado | Only 'permissible fireworks' are legal for the public: fountains, wheels, ground spinners, torches, sparklers, snakes, small noise novelties and ground-based multi-tube devices whose sparks rise no more than 15 feet; aerial devices and audible ground devices such as firecrackers are not permissible. Possessing or discharging other fireworks without a display permit is illegal. No one may sell or give fireworks to anyone under 16, and people under 16 may not buy them, though they may use permissible fireworks under adult supervision. Cities and counties may further restrict or ban the sale, use and possession of fireworks. A violation is a petty offense (fine up to $300 and/or up to 10 days in jail). C.R.S. §§ 24-33.5-2001(11), 24-33.5-2002, 24-33.5-2007, 24-33.5-2010; C.R.S. § 18-1.3-503 |
| Connecticut | Most consumer fireworks are illegal in Connecticut. People 16 and older may buy, sell, use and possess only non-explosive, non-aerial sparklers and fountains with no more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item (with limits on magnesium and chlorate content). Selling, using or possessing other fireworks is a Class C misdemeanor (up to 3 months and $500); selling or possessing to sell more than $10,000 worth is a Class A misdemeanor. Public displays require a state permit and a certified operator; violating display rules is a Class A misdemeanor, or a Class C felony if death or injury results. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-357; Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-35a, 53a-36, 53a-41, 53a-42 |
| Delaware | Delaware bans selling or using fireworks such as firecrackers, rockets and Roman candles without a permit. Allowed items include wire or wood-stick sparklers (100 grams or less), handheld or ground-based non-explosive, non-aerial sparkling devices (75 grams per tube or 500 grams for multiple tubes), snakes and smoke devices, party poppers and toy caps. They may be sold only to people 18 or older during the 30 days before the allowed days, and used only on July 4, the third day of Diwali, December 31 and January 1. Violations are fined $25 to $100; starting January 1, 2027 the fine rises to up to $250 for a first violation, $250 to $500 for a second and up to $1,000 for later violations. Public displays need a State Fire Marshal permit. 16 Del. C. §§ 6901, 6903, 6905 |
| District of Columbia | D.C. Fire and EMS lists as illegal any fireworks that move or explode, emit a spark or flame over 12 inches, or have a side-mounted fuse, including firecrackers, cherry bombs, Roman candles, bottle rockets, salutes and sparklers over 20 inches. Legal items include sparklers under 20 inches, torches, box fires, fountains, cones, snakes, paper novelties, colored lights and paper caps, bought from an approved stand or vendor. D.C. Fire and EMS Department, Office of the Fire Marshal, 'Firework Safety' |
| Florida | Selling, using or exploding fireworks (such as firecrackers, skyrockets and Roman candles) is generally illegal in Florida, but the law allows anyone to use fireworks solely on New Year's Day, the Fourth of July and New Year's Eve. State-approved sparklers (hand-held or ground-based, non-exploding, non-aerial, with no more than 100 grams of composition) and novelties such as snakes and toy caps may be sold and used year-round. Violations are first-degree misdemeanors (up to 1 year and $1,000). Public displays need a permit from the county or city and a competent operator. Fla. Stat. §§ 791.01, 791.02, 791.06, 791.08; Fla. Stat. §§ 775.082, 775.083 |
| Georgia | Georgia allows consumer fireworks (including Roman candles and aerial items meeting federal standards) for people 18 and older; 16- and 17-year-olds may handle them only as assistants to licensed sellers. Use is allowed from 10 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on any day if it meets local general noise ordinances, and on New Year's Day, the last weekend of May, July 3 and 4, Labor Day and New Year's Eve, plus midnight to 1 a.m. on January 1. Fireworks may not be used indoors, on roads, within 100 yards of hospitals, nursing homes, jails, utility plants, fuel facilities or airports, in public parks without a permit, or while impaired. Sparklers, snakes, smoke devices and party poppers are not treated as consumer fireworks. O.C.G.A. §§ 25-10-1, 25-10-2 |
| Hawaii | Consumer fireworks may be set off only from 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve to 1 a.m. on New Year's Day, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Chinese New Year's Day, and from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the Fourth of July, plus permitted cultural events. Firecrackers require a $25 permit (up to 5,000 firecrackers per permit), and aerial devices and display fireworks require a $110 permit; counties may adopt stricter rules for firecrackers. Possessing or setting off aerial or display fireworks without a permit is fined $300 under 5 pounds, a misdemeanor at 5 pounds, a Class C felony at 25 pounds and a Class B felony at 50 pounds; importing, storing or distributing without a license is a Class C or B felony; and other violations carry a $500 to $5,000 fine. Penalties rise if someone is injured or killed. Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 132D-3, 132D-10, 132D-14; Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 706-640, 706-659, 706-660, 706-663 |
| Idaho | Only nonaerial common fireworks - items such as ground spinners, fountains, sparklers, smoke devices and snakes that stay on or near the ground (not firecrackers or jumping jacks) - may be sold at retail and used, and only from June 23 through July 5 and December 26 through January 1; the local fire authority may extend each sales period by up to five days. Other fireworks may be used only under a public-display or event permit. Selling or using fireworks outside the allowed times or altering fireworks is an infraction with a $100 fine; other violations, such as throwing fireworks at people or vehicles or using them in a declared severe fire-danger area, are misdemeanors, and fireworks used illegally may be confiscated. Parents are liable for damage caused by a minor's use of fireworks. Idaho Code §§ 39-2602(6), 39-2606, 39-2609, 39-2611, 39-2613 |
| Illinois | Illinois makes it unlawful to knowingly possess, sell or use display fireworks, flame effects or consumer fireworks, except that cities, villages and (outside them) counties may adopt rules for granting display permits. A consumer display permit can go only to an adult who has completed a State Fire Marshal-approved consumer fireworks training class, after a fire-department site inspection, and the fireworks may then be bought, possessed and used only for that display. Sparklers, snakes and glow worms, smoke devices, party poppers, snappers and toy caps are not 'consumer fireworks' and may be sold and used at all times. Violating the Pyrotechnic Use Act is a Class A misdemeanor (less than one year in jail and up to $2,500), and illegally possessed fireworks can be seized and destroyed by court order. 425 ILCS 35/1, 35/2, 35/2.2, 35/4, 35/5; 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-55 |
| Indiana | Consumer fireworks may be sold to people 18 or older, and may be used only on your own property, on someone else's property with permission, or at a special discharge location. Use is allowed from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and until midnight on state holidays and December 31; cities and counties may restrict use by ordinance, but not from 5 p.m. to two hours after sunset on June 29 to July 3 and July 5 to 9, from 10 a.m. to midnight on July 4, or from 10 a.m. December 31 to 1 a.m. January 1. A person under 18 may possess or use fireworks only with an adult present and responsible. Using fireworks at the wrong place or time, or by a minor without an adult, is a Class C infraction (up to $500; repeat use violations within 5 years are Class C misdemeanors), while reckless or intentional use that damages property is a Class A misdemeanor, causes serious bodily injury a Level 6 felony, and causes death a Level 5 felony. IC 22-11-14-4, 22-11-14-6, 22-11-14-8, 22-11-14-10.5; IC 34-28-5-4(c) |
| Iowa | Adults may buy and use consumer fireworks (first- and second-class consumer fireworks) in Iowa; selling them to anyone under 18, or a person under 18 buying them, is a simple misdemeanor with a fine of at least $250. Consumer fireworks may be used only June 1 - July 8 and December 10 - January 3, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (until 11 p.m. on July 4 and the weekends before and after it, until 12:30 a.m. on New Year's Eve night, and until 11 p.m. on the weekends around December 31), and only on your own property or property whose owner consents; violations are simple misdemeanors with no jail. Cities and counties may prohibit or limit use by ordinance, and violating such a ban is a simple misdemeanor with a fine of at least $250. Display fireworks require a city or county permit. Iowa Code § 727.2 |
| Kansas | Consumer fireworks are legal in Kansas, but bottle rockets are banned: selling or setting one off is an unclassified misdemeanor with a fine of up to $100. The State Fire Marshal says the federal Child Safety Act also bars devices such as M-80s, cherry bombs and silver salutes. Seasonal retail stands may sell only from June 20 through July 7; only registered permanent retailers may sell at other times. The state does not set when consumer fireworks may be discharged; cities and counties decide and may ban or limit them. Selling or using display fireworks requires a license from the State Fire Marshal (applicants must be 21 or older). K.S.A. 31-503, 31-507; State Fire Marshal FAQs (K.A.R. 22-6) |
| Kentucky | Consumer (1.4G) fireworks - including sparklers, fountains, aerial devices such as sky rockets and bottle rockets, and small firecrackers within federal limits - may be sold in Kentucky by registered retailers; seasonal retailers may sell from June 10 to July 7 and December 26 to January 4. It is illegal to give or sell consumer fireworks to anyone under 18, and people under 18 may not sell them at retail facilities or work at fireworks distribution or manufacturing facilities. Display fireworks are restricted to permitted professional displays. Violating the consumer fireworks rules is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to 30 days in jail, or both. Local ordinances on use are not displaced by the state law. KRS 227.700, 227.702, 227.715(3), (8)-(9), 227.990(4) |
| Louisiana | Only 'permissible fireworks' may be possessed, sold or used: consumer fireworks classified UN0336, 1.4G or 1.4S (such as fountains, sparklers, spinners and other listed items). Retail sales are allowed only from noon June 16 through midnight July 5 and noon December 15 through midnight January 1. Fireworks may not be sold to a child known to be under 15 or to intoxicated persons, set off within 1,000 feet of a church, hospital, school or public building, or ignited in, thrown from or thrown at a motor vehicle (a $500 fine or up to 6 months, or both, for the vehicle offenses). Other violations carry a fine up to $10,000, up to 6 months, or both, and parishes and cities may regulate or ban the sale, use and possession of fireworks. La. R.S. 51:651, 51:652(B), 51:654, 51:658(B), 51:660 |
| Maine | Consumer fireworks (as federally defined and safety-certified, but not missile-type rockets, helicopters and aerial spinners, sky rockets or bottle rockets) may be sold only by state-licensed sellers 21 or older, and the statute's required customer notice states that Maine law prohibits persons under 21 from purchasing, possessing or using consumer fireworks. They may be used only from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (until 12:30 a.m. on July 4, December 31 and the surrounding weekends) and only on one's own property or with the owner's consent; a violation is a civil violation with a $50-$500 fine. Possessing other (non-consumer) fireworks is a civil violation with a fine up to $50 if worth $100 or less, and a Class E crime if worth more. Towns may ban or restrict the sale or use of consumer fireworks by ordinance. 8 M.R.S. §§ 221-A, 222, 223-A(1), (2), (8), (10) |
| Maryland | Discharging fireworks, or possessing them to discharge, requires a permit from the State Fire Marshal (generally for supervised displays), and selling fireworks without a permit is prohibited. 'Fireworks' include firecrackers, rockets, Roman candles and other 1.3G and 1.4G items, but not sparklers without chlorates or perchlorates, ground-based non-aerial sparkling devices, snappers, caps or snakes; sparklers and sparkling devices may not be sold to anyone under 16 (a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000). Possessing or discharging fireworks illegally is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $250 per offense, illegal sale up to $1,000, and illegal fireworks are seized and destroyed. A permit does not override local ordinances where the fireworks would be used. Md. Code, Pub. Safety §§ 10-101, 10-103, 10-104, 10-110, 10-111, 10-112 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts bans the sale, possession and use of all consumer fireworks, expressly including firecrackers, cherry bombs, sky rockets, Roman candles, sparklers, fountains and similar items; only toy caps with very small amounts of explosive are allowed, and supervised displays require a permit from the State Fire Marshal. Selling or offering fireworks for sale is punished by a fine of $100 to $1,000 and/or up to 1 year, and the fireworks are forfeited. Possessing or using fireworks is punished by a fine of $10 to $100, and police must seize the fireworks. G.L. c. 148, § 39 |
| Michigan | Michigan's Fireworks Safety Act allows the sale and use of consumer fireworks (CPSC-compliant devices listed in APA Standard 87-1) and low-impact fireworks (ground and handheld sparkling devices); sellers need an annual state certificate. Consumer fireworks may not be sold to a minor (under 18) - a civil fine up to $1,000, or $2,500 for a repeat. Using consumer fireworks on public, school or church property or another person's property without permission is a state civil infraction (fine up to $500), and using fireworks while under the influence of alcohol or drugs carries a civil fine up to $1,000. Local governments may regulate use and hours but may not restrict use after 11 a.m. on December 31 (until 1 a.m. January 1), the weekends before Memorial Day and Labor Day, June 29 through July 4, and July 5 if a Friday or Saturday (until 11:45 p.m.); a local ordinance violation carries a $1,000 civil fine. MCL 28.452, 28.454, 28.457, 28.462 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota generally bans selling, possessing, using or exploding fireworks such as firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles and other aerial or explosive items. Allowed items are wire or wood sparklers (up to 100 grams), other non-explosive, non-aerial sparkling items (up to 75 grams per tube or 500 grams total), snakes, glow worms, smoke devices and trick noisemakers; they may not be used on public property, may not be sold to anyone under 18, and the buyer's age must be checked with photo ID. Violations involving 35 pounds or more of explosive fireworks carry up to 364 days and/or $3,000; smaller amounts or non-explosive fireworks carry up to 90 days and/or $1,000. Minn. Stat. §§ 624.20, subd. 1; 624.21; 624.25 |
| Missouri | Consumer fireworks may be sold by permitted sellers; seasonal retailers may sell only from June 20 to July 10 and from December 20 to January 2. It is unlawful to sell fireworks to a child under 14 unless a parent or guardian is present, to set off consumer fireworks within 600 feet of a church, hospital, mental health facility or school or within 100 feet of where fireworks are sold, or to throw them from or at a vehicle or at people. Cherry bombs, M-80s and other ground salutes exceeding consumer limits are banned. Violating the fireworks law is a class A misdemeanor (up to one year and $2,000); possessing, selling or making the banned ground salutes is a class D felony (up to 7 years). RSMo §§ 320.106(13), 320.151, 320.136, 320.161; §§ 558.011, 558.002 |
| Montana | Permissible fireworks are consumer fireworks that meet federal consumer-fireworks rules; they may be sold only from June 24 through July 5 and December 29 through December 31, and not within 300 feet of a hospital or church. No one under 18 may sell them, and it is unlawful to set off fireworks in a state park, forest or recreation area, within 100 feet of a fireworks stand, from or toward a vehicle, or near people or animals in a way likely to injure them. A violation is a misdemeanor with a fine of $100 to $500 and/or 30 days to six months in jail. Cities and towns that have banned fireworks sales under 7-33-4206 keep their bans. MCA 50-37-103, 50-37-105, 50-37-106, 50-37-110, 50-37-102(3) |
| Nebraska | Only consumer fireworks may be possessed, sold or set off by the public (display fireworks require a license or permit). Retail sales are allowed only inside incorporated cities and villages, from June 24 to July 5 and December 28 to January 1, by licensed sellers. Throwing a firework from or into a vehicle, onto a street or sidewalk, at people or into a building is a Class III misdemeanor, and violating the fireworks sale and possession rules is also a Class III misdemeanor (up to three months and $500), with illegal fireworks subject to seizure. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 28-1244, 28-1249, 28-1242, 28-1250; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-105, § 28-106 |
| Nevada | Nevada has no statewide consumer fireworks sales law; each board of county commissioners may by ordinance prohibit, restrict or regulate the sale, use, storage and possession of fireworks, with criminal penalties, civil penalties, or both. County civil penalties are set by weight: $250 to $1,000 for under 100 pounds, $1,000 to $5,000 for 100 to 5,000 pounds, and $5,000 to $10,000 for over 5,000 pounds, and the statute makes an exception for unemancipated children under 18. Outside incorporated cities and towns, setting off fireworks without a written permit from the State Forester Firewarden is a misdemeanor. NRS 244.367, 472.520 |
| New Hampshire | Adults 21 and older may possess permissible (consumer) fireworks and set them off on private property with the owner's written consent or in the owner's presence, except in a municipality that has voted to ban possession or display. Only licensed sellers may sell them, and not to anyone under 21 (except 18-to-20-year-olds on active military duty) or anyone who appears impaired; selling in violation is a misdemeanor. Possessing or displaying fireworks unlawfully is a violation for an individual (a class B misdemeanor for a business). Each municipality may vote to allow or prohibit sales permits and the display or possession of permissible fireworks. RSA 160-C:11, 160-C:2, 160-C:6; RSA 651:2, 625:9 |
| New Jersey | Most fireworks, including firecrackers, skyrockets, Roman candles and other aerial or explosive fireworks, are illegal for consumers. People 16 and older may buy and use 'sparkling devices and novelties': wire or wood sparklers, hand-held or ground-based non-explosive, non-aerial sparkling devices (within set powder limits), snakes, glow worms, smoke devices and trick noisemakers such as party poppers; municipalities may not further regulate their sale or use. Other fireworks may be sold only to permit holders. Selling or possessing illegal fireworks to sell is a crime of the fourth degree, and buying, using or possessing them is a petty disorderly persons offense (up to 30 days, fine up to $500). R.S. 21:3-2, 21:3-8, 21:2-2; N.J.S. 2C:43-3, 2C:43-6, 2C:43-8 |
| New Mexico | Under the Fireworks Licensing and Safety Act, only 'permissible fireworks' may be possessed or used: ground and hand-held sparkling devices (cone and cylindrical fountains, crackling devices, flitter sparklers, ground spinners, illuminating torches, wheels), aerial devices (reloadable shell kits, aerial spinners, helicopters, mines, missile-type rockets, multiple tube devices, roman candles, shells, most stick-type rockets) and ground audible devices (chasers and firecrackers); small stick rockets and devices with more than 130 mg of explosive per report are not permitted. Selling fireworks to children under 16 is unlawful. Retail sales are allowed June 20 to July 6, the six days before and including New Year's Day, the three days before and including Chinese New Year, September 16 and Cinco de Mayo (year-round at permanent tourism stores). Fireworks may not be sold or used on state forest land, wildlands or a bosque, or set off in or thrown from a vehicle. Violations are misdemeanors punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail. Cities and counties may not ban permissible fireworks other than aerial and ground audible devices, but during declared extreme or severe drought they must ban rockets, helicopters, aerial spinners and ground audible devices and may restrict others. NMSA 1978, §§ 60-2C-5, 60-2C-7, 60-2C-8(C), (I), (J), (L), 60-2C-8.1, 60-2C-10 |
| New York | Fireworks and dangerous fireworks are illegal without a permit. 'Sparkling devices' (ground-based or hand-held devices whose main effect is a shower of sparks or smoke and that do not fly, shoot projectiles or explode, such as fountains and wooden sparklers) are excluded from the fireworks ban except in cities of one million or more (New York City). Possessing or using illegal fireworks is a violation; selling them is a class B misdemeanor, or a class A misdemeanor if worth $500 or more (possessing $150 or more is presumed intent to sell). Selling fireworks, dangerous fireworks or sparkling devices to anyone under 18 is a class A misdemeanor, and a repeat sale of dangerous fireworks to a minor within five years is a class E felony. N.Y. Penal Law § 270.00 |
| North Carolina | Making, buying, selling, possessing or using pyrotechnics is generally unlawful except for licensed exhibitions. The ban does not apply to toy caps, snakes and glow worms, smoke devices, trick noisemakers such as party poppers and snappers, wire sparklers, and other hand-held or ground-based sparkling devices that do not explode, spin or fly (within set powder limits). Most of these allowed items may not be sold to anyone under 16. A violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor (Class 1 if an exhibition is held indoors). N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 14-410, 14-414, 14-415 |
| North Dakota | Fireworks are generally illegal to sell, bring into the state, use or explode, except supervised permitted displays. Licensed retailers may sell listed consumer items to anyone at least 12 years old only from June 27 through July 5 and December 26 through January 1: small aerial star lights and comets, helicopter flyers, fountains, wheels, torches, sparklers, small soft-shell firecrackers and whistles (within set powder limits); small bottle rockets are banned. A violation is a class B misdemeanor (up to 30 days and a $1,500 fine). N.D.C.C. §§ 23-15-01 to 23-15-06; N.D.C.C. § 12.1-32-01 |
| Ohio | Consumer-grade (1.4G) fireworks bought from a licensed seller may be set off on private property with the owner's permission on these days: January 1, Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day weekend, Juneteenth, July 3-5 and the weekends before and after July 4, Labor Day weekend, Diwali, and December 31. Counties, townships and cities may restrict the dates and times or ban discharge. No fireworks may be sold to anyone under 18. Possessing or discharging fireworks outside these rules, or possessing 1.3G display fireworks, is a first-degree misdemeanor; setting them off while intoxicated is a first-degree misdemeanor, and on another person's property without permission is a minor misdemeanor. R.C. 3743.45, 3743.65, 3743.99; R.C. 2929.14, 2929.18, 2929.24, 2929.28 |
| Oklahoma | Consumer fireworks and novelties may be legally sold and used in Oklahoma, but skyrockets with sticks (bottle rockets and stick rockets) and fireworks not properly labeled are banned. Licensed retailers may sell only from June 15 through July 6 (or the first Sunday after July 4, if later) and from December 15 through January 2. It is unlawful to sell fireworks to children under 12 unless accompanied by an adult, to set off fireworks within 500 feet of a church, hospital, asylum, public school, flammable crops or a fireworks stand, or from or at a motor vehicle or near a group of people. Illegal discharge is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $100; illegal sale and other violations carry a fine up to $1,000, up to ninety (90) days in jail, or both, and illegal fireworks are seized. Cities and towns may further regulate or prohibit fireworks. 68 O.S. §§ 1623, 1624, 1627, 1628, 1631 |
| Oregon | Possessing, using or exploding fireworks in Oregon is illegal unless an exception applies; the main one lets members of the public buy 'consumer fireworks' for personal use from a holder of a State Fire Marshal retail permit. Consumer fireworks are ground-based items such as cone and cylindrical fountains, flitter sparklers, ground spinners, illuminating torches and wheels, plus other items with 500 grams or less of pyrotechnic composition that the Fire Marshal approves by rule. Retail sales are allowed only from June 23 through July 6 each year. Violating the fireworks law is a Class B misdemeanor (up to 6 months), and the Fire Marshal may also impose a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation (not on an individual holding less than $50 worth). ORS 480.111, 480.120, 480.127, 480.165, 480.990(5) |
| Pennsylvania | Anyone 18 or older may buy, possess and use consumer fireworks. They may not be used on property without the owner's permission, from or toward a vehicle or building, toward another person, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or within 150 feet of a building or vehicle (whether or not the user owns it), and not within 150 feet of another person's animal housing or fenced livestock area. Municipalities may require a permit, add non-conflicting limits, and ban use from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., except that use is allowed until 1 a.m. on July 2, 3 and 4 and December 31 (and around July 4 when it falls midweek), and they may not restrict use on those days or on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Unlawful use is a summary offense with a fine of up to $500, or up to $1,000 for a repeat offense within three years; unlawful sale is a misdemeanor of the second degree with a fine of at least $10,000. 3 Pa.C.S. §§ 1104, 1106, 1114 |
| Rhode Island | Ground-based and hand-held sparkling devices (fountains, illuminating torches, wheels, ground spinners, flitter sparklers and sparklers) and novelties (party poppers, snappers, smoke devices, snakes and similar items) may be stored, possessed, sold, transported and used throughout the state by persons at least sixteen (16) years old. Display fireworks and aerial consumer fireworks (1.4G aerial items) may not be sold, possessed or used without a permit. A violation is a felony punished by a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to one year per offense, except that using or possessing with intent to use aerial or display fireworks worth under $500 without a permit is a misdemeanor punished by a fine up to $500 and/or up to one year per offense. Complaints must be brought within 30 days of the offense. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-13-1, 11-13-2 |
| South Carolina | Consumer fireworks (small devices such as whistling items, ground devices with 50 mg or less of explosive and aerial devices with 130 mg or less) may be sold by licensed retailers, but fireworks may not be sold to anyone under 16, and retail sale and use of small bottle rockets is not legal. Fireworks designed to make a loud report with more than two grains of composition (such as cherry bombs, M-80s and ground salutes) are banned; possessing them is a misdemeanor punished by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to two (2) years. Property owners may post 'Fireworks Prohibited Zones,' and discharging fireworks in one is a misdemeanor (fine up to $100 or 30 days, then $200). Other violations of the fireworks chapter carry fines starting at up to $200 or 30 days for a first offense. S.C. Code §§ 40-56-20, 40-56-220, 23-35-130, 23-35-150, 23-35-175 |
| South Dakota | Consumer fireworks listed in Chapter 3 of APA Standard 87-1 (2001) that meet federal labeling rules are legal; possessing, selling or using any other fireworks is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Consumer fireworks may be used only from June 27 through the first Sunday after July 4 and from December 28 through January 1; use outside those periods is a Class 2 misdemeanor, though novelties, non-flying smoke effects and single-shot parachutes without flares are allowed all year. Fireworks may not be used within 300 feet of a fireworks stand (Class 1 misdemeanor), and may not be sold or used in the Black Hills Forest Fire Protection District, national or state forests and parks, or Game, Fish and Parks land without authorization (Class 2 misdemeanor). Sellers must be 18 or older, and counties may restrict use outside cities when grassland fire danger is extreme. SDCL 34-37-2.1, 34-37-4, 34-37-5, 34-37-10.4, 34-37-11, 34-37-16.1, 34-37-16.2, 34-37-19 |
| Tennessee | Only D.O.T. Class C common (consumer) fireworks that meet federal consumer rules may be possessed, sold or used; ground salutes exceeding Class C limits are banned (a second or later offense is a Class E felony). Buyers must be at least 16, and 16- and 17-year-olds must show a state photo ID or be with an adult. Retail sales are banned in counties over 355,000 population (with narrow exceptions) and wherever local law has outlawed sales. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor; retailers selling to underage buyers face fines up to $100, $250 and $500 for first, second and later offenses. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 68-104-108, 68-104-112, 68-104-114 |
| Texas | Only fireworks meeting Consumer Product Safety Commission and state standards may be sold or used, and consumer (1.4G) fireworks only from permitted retail stands. Retail sales are allowed June 24 through July 4 and December 20 through January 1, plus county-approved periods (such as near the Mexican border for Cinco de Mayo and others a county may allow); sales to anyone under 16 or intoxicated are banned. Using fireworks within 600 feet of a church, hospital, school or child-care center without permission, near fuel or fireworks stores, or from or at a vehicle is prohibited; violations are generally Class B misdemeanors (Class C for minor violations with damage under $200). Counties in drought may restrict skyrockets with sticks and missiles with fins in unincorporated areas. Tex. Occ. Code §§ 2154.202(g), 2154.251, 2154.252, 2154.303; Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 352.051 |
| Utah | Consumer (1.4G 'common state approved') fireworks may be sold June 24 to July 25, December 29 to 31, and the two days before and on Chinese New Year's Eve. They may be set off only from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 2-5 and July 22-25 (until midnight on July 4 and 24), from 11 a.m. December 31 to 1 a.m. January 1, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. January 1, and on Chinese New Year's Eve. Discharging outside those times, or in an area closed for fire hazard, is an infraction with a fine up to $1,000. Cities may close hazardous areas (such as brush, wildland-urban interface and near waterways) and ban negligent discharge, but otherwise may not ban discharge during the legal periods; display (1.3G) and unclassified fireworks are restricted. Utah Code §§ 53-7-222, 53-7-225, 15A-5-202.5 |
| Vermont | Vermont bans the sale, possession and use of consumer fireworks except under a display permit from the local fire chief (or selectboard); sellers need both federal (ATF) and municipal permits. Sparklers are excluded from the ban if they meet federal safety rules (hand-held sparklers under 14 inches with no more than 20 grams of mixture, plus snakes, party poppers, smoke devices and similar novelties), but hand-held sparklers may not be sold to minors. A violation is a misdemeanor with up to 30 days and/or $100 per violation; an indoor display without a permit carries up to 1 year and/or $5,000. 20 V.S.A. §§ 3131, 3132, 3135 |
| Virginia | Only 'permissible fireworks' are allowed for consumer use: non-exploding sparklers and fountains (sparks no farther than 16.4 feet), wheels, and crackling or strobe devices that do not explode, fly, shoot projectiles or reload. The Statewide Fire Prevention Code must bar transporting, selling, buying or setting off any other fireworks except for permitted displays run by state-certified operators, and localities may adopt stricter rules. Violating the Fire Prevention Code is a Class 1 misdemeanor (up to 12 months and $2,500). Va. Code §§ 27-95, 27-97, 27-100; Va. Code §§ 18.2-10, 18.2-11 |
| Washington | Consumer fireworks may be sold June 28 through July 5 and December 27 through 31 (set hours each day), and set off June 28 through July 5 (to midnight on July 4) and from 6 p.m. December 31 to 1 a.m. January 1. Sky rockets, missile-type rockets, firecrackers, salutes and chasers may not be sold to the public as consumer fireworks. Cities and counties may limit or ban sale and use, but stricter local ordinances take effect no sooner than one year after adoption. Possessing illegal fireworks is a misdemeanor under one pound and a gross misdemeanor at one pound or more; reckless discharge creating a substantial risk of death, serious injury or property damage is a gross misdemeanor. RCW 70.77.395, 70.77.401, 70.77.250(4), 70.77.485, 70.77.488; RCW 9A.20.021 |
| West Virginia | Consumer fireworks (small devices meeting federal CPSC rules and listed in APA Standard 87-1), plus sparklers and novelties, may be sold by sellers licensed or certified by the State Fire Marshal. No one under 18 may buy or sell consumer fireworks. It is illegal to set off consumer fireworks on property without the owner's permission, inside or from a vehicle or building, at a vehicle, building or person, or while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Violations without a set penalty are misdemeanors with a $100-$500 fine. No statewide dates are set in the statute, and cities may ban or regulate fireworks use within their limits. W. Va. Code §§ 29-3E-1, 29-3E-2, 29-3E-10, 29-3E-11, 29-3E-12 |
| Wisconsin | State law defines 'fireworks' broadly but excludes sparklers up to 36 inches, fountains classed as Division 1.4 explosives, smoke devices, snakes, caps, ground spinners and small novelties, so the state permit rule does not cover them. Using or possessing other fireworks (anything made for exploding, emitting sparks or combustion that is not excluded) requires a user's permit from the city, village or town; permits may not be issued to minors. Selling fireworks is allowed only to permit holders, municipalities, nonresidents and certain other buyers. Violations are a civil forfeiture of up to $1,000, and a parent who lets a minor use fireworks faces the same forfeiture and is liable for damages. Cities, villages, towns and counties may adopt stricter rules, including bans. The statute sets no statewide dates. Wis. Stat. § 167.10(1), (2), (3), (5), (7), (9) |
| Wyoming | State law starts from a general ban: selling, giving away, using or setting off fireworks is unlawful except as the fireworks article allows. Local governing bodies may permit supervised public displays, and the ban does not stop sales to permit holders or fairs, sales shipped directly out of state, or signal, mining and similar non-entertainment uses. Counties may adopt rules authorizing the sale of consumer fireworks (the items allowed under federal CPSC rules) or may ban their sale or use, and county voters can petition for an election on a ban. Cities and towns may adopt further restrictions but may not authorize anything state law forbids. A violation is a misdemeanor with up to a $750 fine and/or 60 days in jail. The statute sets no statewide age limit or dates. W.S. 35-10-201 through 35-10-208 |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.