Fireworks have become a staple Fourth of July celebrations across the United States, with cities often hosting professional shows to mark the occasion each year. In some areas, smaller displays of less powerful fireworks appear at private parties. For people wondering where fireworks are legal and where they're illegal across the country, here's what you need to know.
Complete list of US states where some fireworks are legal
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has banned several types of fireworks, including M-80s, cherry bombs and anything else containing more than 50 milligrams of pyrotechnic material, at the federal level, but regulations state and local can be more complicated. To varying degrees, certain types of fireworks are legal in 49 states in addition to Washington, D.C.
Here's the full list:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- mississippi
- Missouri
- montana
- Nebraska
- snowfall
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- oklahoma
- Oregon
- pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- virginia
- Washington
- washington dc
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
The only state in the United States where all private fireworks are illegal
Massachusetts is the only state in the US where it is illegal to sell, use or possess fireworks of any kind as a private citizen. Many communities across the state organizes public fireworks shows at his Fourth of July celebrations. But without a license and permit, state law prohibits fireworks of all kinds, including sparklers, firecrackers and any other comparable device designed to produce “a visible or audible effect,” according to the state government.
The ban has been in place since 1943, when state lawmakers amended an earlier set of statutes that previously allowed civilians to buy, sell and use certain types of fireworks for displays. When they enacted the fireworks ban, it was a revision of measures enacted in response to World War II, some of which were listed as “emergency” orders specifically intended to remain in effect whenever there was a potential enemy threat. But the consumer fireworks law remained after the war.
Despite repeated calls from Massachusetts to lift the ban, officials say it remains necessary and have increased enforcement in recent years because of the prevalence of illegal fireworks. Between 2013 and 2022, Massachusetts fire departments reported nearly 1,000 fires related to illegal fireworks displays, along with 47 injuries, mostly firefighters, and $2.5 million in damages, depending on the state.
Minh Connors/The Washington Post via Getty Images
States where some fireworks are legal but many are restricted
Numerous states and Washington, DC restrict the sale, possession, and use of consumer fireworks, although professional fireworks displays are permitted with the proper licenses and permits. These states are:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- virginia
- washington dc
- Wisconsin
Illinois and Vermont have stricter laws than the rest of the United States. In these states, only “novelty” crack and smoke devices are offered for sale to the general public. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, a “novelty” device is one that contains “small amounts of pyrotechnic and/or explosive composition” but does not technically meet the requirements to be considered a consumer firework.
In Illinois, novelties include snakes, glow worm pellets, smoke devices, party poppers, snappers, trick matches and “other devices in which paper or plastic caps containing twenty-five hundredths of a grain are used or less of explosive compound,” according to the state. law that bans most consumer fireworks.
The laws are similar in Vermont, where certain sparklers and novelty devices are allowed, as long as the sparklers contain 20 grams or less of pyrotechnic materials and the novelties contain 0.25 grains or less of an explosive mixture, according to the Office of the Committee on Firefighters of the State.
States that allow counties to determine fireworks laws
Hawaii, Nevada and Wyoming allow counties to determine whether or not fireworks are legal within their individual jurisdictions, as well as what types of fireworks are allowed and exactly when and where people can buy, sell and use them.
In Hawaii, public safety concerns prompted lawmakers in 2010 to pass a law giving counties the authority to set stricter regulations for consumer fireworks than those set at the state level. It allowed, for example, the city and county of Honolulu to broadly ban the sale, possession and use of all consumer fireworks except firecrackers, which can be obtained with a permit. But the ordinance does not apply to other counties.
The state legislatures of Nevada and Wyoming have passed similar laws to give local officials control over fireworks in their areas. In these states, consumer fireworks may be legal in one county and prohibited in another, and some counties restrict the purchase, sale, and use of fireworks to specific times on designated days of the year.
Even when consumer fireworks are generally regulated by state, people may find themselves in a town or city in Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, or Ohio. which has stricter fireworks laws than their neighbors. And, in places like Illinois, fireworks are only allowed in counties that have passed an ordinance to allow them, even on private property.
What are non-aerial, non-explosive fireworks?
Most states where some, but not all, fireworks are legally accessible to civilians limit what is allowed to only non-aerial, non-explosive fireworks. Sometimes called “safe and sane” fireworks, they usually refer to devices that don't explode or fly. Because they contain lower amounts of combustible material than other fireworks, officials say they are also less likely to cause injury or property damage.
In wildfire-prone California, buying fireworks is illegal unless their packaging is explicitly labeled “safe and sane.” A fireworks education site run by the California fire marshal's office lists sky rockets, bottle rockets, Roman candles, aerial shells and firecrackers as some examples of fireworks that have been banned nationwide. 'state in accordance with “safe and sane” standards, along with “other fireworks that explode, fly into the air, or move on the ground in an uncontrollable manner.”
A growing number of California counties they have completely banned fireworks. Violators could face fines or jail time.
Why do some states ban certain fireworks?
They say most states place restrictions for civilians on the sale, possession and use of fireworks the risks of injury and property damage are their main reasons for doing so. In some of those states, officials also cite the increased likelihood that wildfires will occur and spread in an area where fireworks have been set off.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said it received reports of eight deaths and approximately 9,700 injuries related to fireworks in 2023 alone. Of the eight deaths, five were associated with fireworks misuse, two with device malfunction, and one was unknown.
How to report illegal fireworks
States and counties across the country encourage people to report any instances of suspected illegal fireworks, and many ask their residents to file such reports with their fire departments or local law enforcement agencies. law enforcement People can also report illegal fireworks activity to a hotline at the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which is responsible for regulating all explosives, including fireworks.
