What Are The Fireworks Laws Where You Live?

[rastahomie]

Missouri's fireworks laws are a little complicated. I'll do my best to explain them.

Brick & mortar, permanent stores are allowed to operate 365 days per year. For the most part, though, local ordinances force them out of larger cities, so you mainly see them along the interstate, far outside of cities. Temporary buildings (viz, fireworks tents) are allowed to operate like two weeks before 4th of July until like a week after (the one in my town opened up tonight).* Again, local ordinances can (and do) force them out of most cities.

Used to be that the brick & mortar stores couldn't sell to anyone with a Missouri ID outside of tent season; I've been carded more than once. However, I don't know if that part of the law has been changed or if the brick & mortar shop where I buy mine (Molly Brown's, holla!) just looks the other way.

In my little town in the middle of nowhere, officially you aren't allowed to launch them in town. Unofficially, the cops look the other way unless it's super late at night or you're being a jerk about it.

*Edited to Add: I just drove by the town tent to score some Roman Candles, and it appears they aren't open yet. Maybe tomorrow? Either way, I'll be at a brick & mortar place on Sunday, so NBD.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

In Florida it's legal.

In NJ it's illegal but we do it anyway.

 

[low-key]

dont ask, dont tell

 

[Felicis]

In New Zealand, they are only available for sale for 3 days before Guy Fawkes day (Nov 5th). There are restrictions on what can be sold (no sky rockets for example). No restrictions on when you can set them off, but some around where (some public places for example).

I would say it won't be that long before they aren't available for sale at all, here.

 

[jliehr]

Also in Missouri, outside city limits and our neighborhood will sound like what I imagine a war zone to be for a week, I feel sorry for the pets and anyone with PTSD, literally like hell week for them.

 

[bcla]

Well - we have an interesting system in California. Personal fireworks are apparently only legally sold before the 4th of July and can only be sold by charitable organizations, and then only in specific communities. Most of these are cities, but some are unincorporated areas where the county has approved their sale. They're always sold in flimsy pop-up stands that are placed in parking lots - something like this:

They will be "safe and sane" fireworks that don't shoot stuff into the air. Stuff like sparklers or fireworks that only spray sparks and have to stay on the ground. No roman candles, no aerial fireworks, and definitely no rockets. Firecrackers are also illegal. They can also only be used in communities where they're sold. It's well past the statute of limitations, but I do remember setting off a bunch in my parents backyard. Someone bought them in a city where they were legal. In the end there was smoke everywhere and I guess we were lucky that nobody called the cops.

I do remember a friend who showed me a fireworks catalog that claimed that everything they sold was approved by the California State Fire Marshal, but that was counter to everything I understood about fireworks in my state. This was stuff like rockets and assorted other stuff that launched into the air.

The big stuff is only allowed with a professional pyrotechnics permit.

Of course that doesn't stop firecrackers from being used around Chinese New Year. They're technically still illegal (without a professional display permit), but the authorities tend to look the other way. I remember seeing friends get firecrackers and bottle rockets when I was a kid.

 

[dotfurio]

Fireworks are sold the 1st-4th, and can be used the 2nd-4th. Whistling Petes, flowers, and anything that shoots into the sky are illegal. Not that anyone follows any of those rules . We're not so far from places that sell them so I see a lot of illegals going off around the 4th.

Between my dog freaking out and the fire hazard with our hot dry summers I wish they'd make them all illegal except for the shows groups put on. There's been a push in that direction the past few years, but lawmakers hold off because selling fireworks is a big fundrasier for a lot of groups.

 

[kimblebee]

I'm not really sure. I don't think they can be sold in stores so everyone buys them from a trailer or truck on the side of the highway. There are no restrictions on when they can be done but I know you can't do it from the street, I think you have to go to an open area.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Also in Missouri, outside city limits and our neighborhood will sound like what I imagine a war zone to be for a week, I feel sorry for the pets and anyone with PTSD, literally like hell week for them.

Where I live, they are illegal within city limits, unless you have a permit. No one gets a permit, unless you are the guy that sets them off for the city.

Our poor dog lives in hell for the week. They totally and completely freak him out. And everyone seems to set them off.

Last year, our neighbor was setting them off. When I went out to say something, I found out that he was drunk and little kids were also setting them off. I figure it is only a matter of time until someone over there blows a hand off.

 

[rastahomie]

Ladies & Gentlemen: The Komodo 3000

 

[bcla]

Where I live, they are illegal within city limits, unless you have a permit. No one gets a permit, unless you are the guy that sets them off for the city.

Our poor dog lives in hell for the week. They totally and completely freak him out. And everyone seems to set them off.

Last year, our neighbor was setting them off. When I went out to say something, I found out that he was drunk and little kids were also setting them off. I figure it is only a matter of time until someone over there blows a hand off.

Most professional displays these days use electronically programmed firing sequences. I've seen the launch tubes and firing equipment before after a fireworks show following a baseball game. Most are actually programmed by a computer, then saved at the launch box. All the technicians were wearing hardhats, and it looks like they were well away.

One time I was in another county and went to see the county's annual show. There were people parked all along the nearby streets, but we paid parking at the county fairgrounds where they actually launched the fireworks. We saw technicians with flares running around actually hand lighting the fireworks. It seemed a bit dangerous. At the end of the show they were waving their flares to indicate that it was over.

I guess the other thing is that I've parked my car near where fireworks were launched. There was a little bit of dust, but a lot of those cardboard tubes and paper wadding had landed on my car.

 

[rastahomie]

That's not a fireworks stand. THIS is a fireworks stand.

That's about a third of it, by the way.

 

[Skippy918]

Inside city limits and within a 5 mile radius outside of city limits, they are not allowed. You also cannot use them during burn bans.

 

[sasywtch]

CA also here with the pop up stand. I think they can start selling them 7 days before the 4th at noon until the 5th. As the pp said, no rockets, safe and sane fireworks. Counties have the leeway to prohibit fireworks. I can light them off at my home but a block away is a different county and they cannot.

 

[jliehr]

Neighbors started early, currently 11:20 PM and they are out in full force already

 

[bcla]

CA also here with the pop up stand. I think they can start selling them 7 days before the 4th at noon until the 5th. As the pp said, no rockets, safe and sane fireworks. Counties have the leeway to prohibit fireworks. I can light them off at my home but a block away is a different county and they cannot.

Around here the sales and legality of shooting them vary by city, but that's probably because there's no county ordinance. This article describes Alameda County:

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2010/06...s-available-in-alameda-county-starting-today/

Sales of “safe and sane” fireworks begin at noon today in Newark and Union City, continuing until Fourth of July evening.

But if you’re not a resident of those two cities and you plan on buying them to celebrate the Fourth locally, chances are you’ll be firing them off illegally — and could be fined or even face jail time — because most Alameda County communities have banned fireworks.

The legal fireworks — which bear a seal of approval from the state fire marshal — typically are described as those that neither explode nor leave the ground when they are ignited.

They are sold and legal to use in only three county communities — Dublin being the third. Residents in other communities — including Castro Valley, Fremont, Hayward area, San Leandro and San Lorenzo — have been warned that the use of any fireworks is prohibited.

“There is a zero-tolerance policy,” said deputy fire chief Demetrious Shaffer of the Alameda County Fire Department.

Even in some communities where fireworks are legal, the “safe and sane” products are not to be altered and can be used only on private property. That means they are prohibited in parks and parking lots. They also can be used through Sunday.​

Castro Valley and San Lorenzo are unincorporated areas served by the Alameda County Fire Department. The county doesn't specifically allow fireworks, but city has to.

My cousin lived in a city where fireworks were sold and they were allowed to be shot off in specific city parks. I remember visiting on a 4th of July and buying some sparklers. They also had a fire truck stationed at each park where they allowed fireworks.

 

[MillauFr]

How can you allow fireworks in California? Wouldn't the idiots start some huge fire that burns down hundreds of homes?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Rural Missouri - we enjoy many of the impromptu shows our semi-neighbors put on. They must spend a fortune!!

Nothing irks me more though than going to town for the REAL show and there are a bunch of yahoos lighting bottle rockets in the parking lot & spectator area. It's times like that we should be able to punch people and not be charged for it.

 

[Planogirl]

They are not allowed in most municipalities here. However there are many permanent fireworks buildings that are only open sometime before the fourth and New Year's and people shoot them off in many unincorporated areas.

I admit that I used to love Roman candles. I never could stand firecrackers though.

 

[elphaba91]

In Victoria, Australia it is illegal to set off fireworks unless you are a licenced pyrotechnician (or under the direct supervision of one) and you have to have a permit from the local council where you're setting them off too.