4th of July fireworks laws in each state
Before you light the wick on Independence Day ...
Regulations regarding the use of personal fireworks have been an up and down road over the past few decades, where the days of sending the kids off to the backyard with a Ziploc bag of M-80s eventually ran into more prudent measures of injury prevention.
Today’s 4th of July guidelines aren’t as strict as once outlined, though, and vary by state—and in some instances, by county. But it can be quite a confusing ramble of dos and donts, so we’ve simplified the regulations by state, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Alabama
Fireworks permitted: Items that comply with regulations of the CPSC, DOT definitions and trick noisemakers.
Fireworks prohibited: Illegal ground salutes, fireworks containing more than 2 grains of explosive composition, any mail-order fireworks.
Age to purchase: 16 (unless accompanied by an adult).
Alaska
Fireworks permitted: Roman candles, skyrockets, helicopter rockets, cylindrical and cone fountains, wheels, torches, dipped sticks, mines and shells, and firecrackers with soft casings.
Fireworks prohibited: All fireworks not defined and salable consumer fireworks.
Age to purchase: 18.
Arizona
Fireworks permitted: Ground-based sparkling devices, including fountains, multiple tube cake devices, illuminating torches, wheels, and ground spinners.
Fireworks prohibited: Aerial consumer fireworks, bottle and sky rockets, helicopters, torpedoes, Roman candles, and jumping jacks.
Age to purchase: 16.
Arkansas
Fireworks permitted: Roman candles, skyrockets, helicopter rockets, cylindrical and cone fountains, wheels, torches, dipped sticks, mines and shells, and firecrackers with soft casings.
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 12
California
Fireworks permitted: Ground and handheld sparkling devices, cylindrical and cone fountains, wheel & ground spinners, illuminating torch, flitter sparklers (morning glory) not exceeding 10 inches in length or a quarter-inch diameter, toy smoke devices, party poppers and snappers.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, skyrockets, rockets, Roman candles, chasers, all wire and wooden stick sparklers, surprise items, friction items, torpedoes, firework kits, and fireworks containing arsenic, phosphorus, thiocyanates magnesium (magnesium-aluminum alloys permitted ), mercury salts, picrates or picric acid, gallates or gallic acid, chlorates, boron, titanium (except particle sizes larger than 100 mesh), zirconium, gunpowder, and fireworks kits.
Age to purchase: 16.
Colorado
Fireworks permitted: Cylindrical and cone fountains, ground spinners, torches and colored fire, dipped sticks and sparklers, snakes and glow worms, trick noisemakers, and certain other novelties. These items are subject to size and chemical composition limitations.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, aerial devices, audible ground devices, and fireworks not explicitly permitted.
Age to purchase: 16.
Connecticut
Fireworks permitted: Handheld and ground-based sparkling devices that are non-explosive and non-aerial, and do not contain more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic composition per item.
Fireworks prohibited: All other consumer fireworks, including multiple-tube sparkling devices that exceed 100 grams of total pyrotechnic composition. Novelty items are illegal.
Age to purchase: 16.
Delaware
Fireworks permitted: Wood-stick and wire sparklers with no more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic composition; other hand-held or ground-based sparkling devices which are non-explosive and non-aerial, which may produce a crackling or whistling effect, and which contain 75 grams or less of pyrotechnic composition per tube or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes; snakes, glow worms and smoke devices which contain 20 grams or less of pyrotechnic composition; trick noisemakers, which include party poppers, snappers and drop pops, each containing 16 mg or less of pyrotechnic composition.
Fireworks prohibited: All consumer fireworks not specifically permitted, including firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles, and aerial shell devices.
Age to purchase: 18.
Florida
Fireworks permitted: Devices approved and listed by the State Fire Marshal which emit a shower of sparks upon burning, do not contain any explosive compounds, do not detonate or explode, are handheld or ground-based, cannot propel themselves through the air, and contain no more than 100 grams of the chemical compound that produces sparks upon burning. Any device that is not included in the list of approved items is prohibited, except: snakes, smoke devices, trick noisemakers, party poppers, booby traps, snappers, and trick matches, each of which is subject to size limitations and may be sold at all times.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles, and any fireworks containing explosive or flammable compounds.
Age to purchase: 18.
Georgia
Fireworks permitted: All consumer fireworks meeting CPSC criteria; Roman Candles; wire or wood sparklers of 100 grams or less of mixture per item; other sparkling items which are nonexplosive and non-aerial and contain 75 grams or less of chemical compound per tube or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes; snake and glow worms; smoke devices; or trick noise makers which include paper streamers, party poppers, string poppers, snappers, and drop props each consisting of 0.25 grains or less of explosive mixture.
Fireworks prohibited: Balloon, bag, parachute, or other similar devices which require fire underneath for propulsion or to release or cause to be released any floating water lantern or wish lantern which uses a flame to create a lighting effect in any public waterway, lake, pond, stream, or river.
Age to purchase: 18.
Hawaii
Fireworks permitted: Items that comply with regulations of CPSC and DOT definitions. Permits are required for every 5,000 individual units of firecrackers
Fireworks prohibited: Aerial fireworks such as bottle rockets, skyrockets, missile-type rockets, helicopters, torpedoes, Roman candles, flying pigs, and jumping jacks, which move about the ground farther than inside a circle with a radius of twelve feet as measured from the point where the item was placed and ignited, aerial shells and mines.
Age to purchase: 18.
Note: Regulations established by each county.
Idaho
Fireworks permitted: Non-aerial fireworks devices, such as ground spinners, fountains, sparklers, smoke devices, or snakes.
Fireworks prohibited: Any fireworks not specifically permitted, such as firecrackers, jumping jacks, or similar products.
Age to purchase: 18.
Illinois
Fireworks permitted: Novelty items including snakes or glow worms; smoke devices; trick noisemakers known as “party poppers,” “booby traps,” “snappers,” and sparklers. (List updated annually by the state fire marshal)
Fireworks prohibited: Handheld fireworks, bottle rockets, firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, chasers, buzz bombs, helicopters, missiles, pinwheels, planes.
Age to purchase: 18.
Indiana
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks that comply with the construction, chemical composition, and labeling regulations of the U.S. Consumer Products Commission.
Fireworks prohibited: A special discharge location, property of the person, or property of a person who has provided permission.
Age to purchase: 18.
Iowa
Fireworks permitted: First-class consumer fireworks (aerial shell kits and reloadable tubes; chasers; helicopter and aerial spinners; firecrackers; mine and shell devices; missile-type rockets; roman candles; skyrockets and bottle rockets; multiple tube devices manufactured per APA 87-1, section 3.5). Second-class consumer fireworks (cone fountains; cylindrical fountains; flitter sparklers; grand and handheld sparkling devices, including multiple tube ground and handheld sparkling devices that are manufactured in accordance with APA 87-1, section 3.5; ground spinners; illuminating torches; toy smoke devices that are not classified as novelties pursuant to APA 87-1, section 3.2; wheels and wire or dipped sparklers that are not classified as novelties pursuant to APA 87-1, section 3.2).
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 18.
Kansas
Fireworks permitted: All pyrotechnic devices classified as consumer fireworks by DOT, except certain rockets.
Fireworks prohibited: Any rockets mounted on a wire or stick, including any device containing such rockets.
Age to purchase: 18.
Kentucky
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks that comply with the construction, chemical composition, & labeling regulations of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, including aerial devices such as rockets and bottle rockets, helicopters, and aerial spinners, roman candles, mines. Ground and hand-held sparkling devices (dipped stick or wire sparklers), cylindrical and cone fountain, illuminating torch, wheel, ground spinner, flitter sparkler,) smoke, novelties, and trick noisemakers, and audible ground devices.
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 18.
Louisiana
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks as defined by DOT and the CPSC. (This includes: cylindrical fountains, cone fountains, illuminating torches, pyrotechnic wheel devices, ground spinners, flitter sparklers, toy smoke devices, skyrockets and bottle rockets, missile-type rockets, aerial/helicopter spinners, Roman candles, mines or shells, firecrackers, and multiple tube fireworks.
Fireworks prohibited: Cherry bombs, tubular salutes, 2-inch, American-made salutes, firecrackers with casings exceeding 1 1/2-inch length or 1/4-inch diameter, repeating bombs, aerial bombs, torpedoes exceeding 3/8-inch diameter, Roman candles larger than 10-ball, and skyrockets with a casing of less than 5/8-inch diameter and less than 2 7/8-inch length, with an overall length of 15 inches.
Age to purchase: 15.
Maine
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks items tested and certified by a third-party laboratory conforming to CPSC standards.
Fireworks prohibited: Missile-type rockets, helicopters, aerial spinners, skyrockets, and bottle rockets, as defined by the State Fire Marshal.
Age to purchase: 21.
Maryland
Fireworks permitted: Sparklers containing no chlorates or perchlorates, ground-based sparkling devices that are non-aerial, non-explosive, and are labeled in accordance with the requirements of CPSC. Paper-wrapped snappers containing less than 3/100 grains of explosive composition, and snakes that contain no mercury and are not regulated by DOT. Note: retailers must submit products for testing and approval to State Fire Marshal’s Office prior to sale.
Fireworks prohibited: All others.
Age to purchase: 16.
Massachusetts
Fireworks permitted: None
Fireworks prohibited: All.
Michigan
Fireworks permitted: All consumer fireworks meeting CPSC criteria as defined in APA Std. 87-1 sections 3.1.2, 3.1.3 and 3.5 and ground & handheld sparkling devices.
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 18.
Minnesota
Fireworks permitted: Wire or wood sparklers of not more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic composition per item. Ground-based sparkling devices that are non-explosive and non-aerial and contain 75 grams or less of chemical mixture per tube or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tube items and include: fountains, cones, illuminating torches, wheels, ground spinners, flitter sparklers, flash/strobes, and novelty devices including snakes, glow worms, trick noisemakers, party poppers, and snappers.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, torpedoes, missiles, skyrockets, bottle rockets, roman candles, mines and shells, chasers, and parachutes.
Age to purchase: 18.
Mississippi
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks as defined by the CPSC containing 2 grams or less of explosive composition, including cone fountains, small Chinese crackers, small nonexplosive Roman candles, and rockets. Nonexplosive sparklers are permitted.
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 12.
Missouri
Fireworks permitted: Consumer Fireworks in compliance with the regulations of the CPSC.
Fireworks prohibited: Ground salutes that exceed DOT limits.
Age to purchase: 14 (unless with parent or guardian).
Montana
Fireworks permitted: Items meeting the CPSC requirements, except for items specifically prohibited. Mail orders are prohibited.
Fireworks prohibited: Skyrockets, Roman candles, bottle rockets.
Age to purchase: 18.
Nebraska
Fireworks permitted: Novelty items, snakes, and sparklers do not require a permit to be sold in Nebraska. Gold and silver sparklers (colored sparklers prohibited) spray fountains, torches, color fire cones, star and comet type aerial shells without explosive charge, lady fingers not to exceed 7/8-inch length and 1/8-inch diameter, total pyrotechnic composition not to exceed 50 mg. each, color wheels and any other item approved by Fire Marshal. Samples for all fireworks must be submitted to Fire Marshal prior to the sale for a separate test shoot examination. Permissible fireworks list is issued annually in January.
Fireworks prohibited: Rockets, unapproved wire sparklers, nighttime parachutes, firecrackers with more than 50mg of explosive composition, and other fireworks deemed unsafe by the State Fire Marshal.
Age to purchase: 16.
Nevada
Fireworks permitted: Fireworks designated as consumer fireworks in some areas only.
Fireworks prohibited: Dangerous fireworks, including large firecrackers, aerial displays and items that explode on impact or by friction.
Age to purchase: 18.
Note: Regulations established by each county.
New Hampshire
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks designated as “Permissible Fireworks” that have been approved by the AFSL or other third-party testing agency, including aerial devices, cakes, Roman candles, ground spinner, party popper, snake/glow worm snapper, wheels and sparklers.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, stick rockets/missiles, and any device that produces solely smoke.
Age to purchase: 21.
New Jersey
Fireworks permitted: Wood-stick and wire sparklers with no more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic composition; other handheld or ground-based sparkling devices which are non-explosive and non-aerial, which may produce a crackling or whistling effect, and which contain 75 grams or less of pyrotechnic composition per tube or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes; snakes, glow worms and smoke devices and trick noisemakers, which include party poppers, snappers and drop pops, each consisting of 25/100 grains or less of explosive mixture.
Fireworks prohibited: All consumer fireworks not specifically permitted, including torpedoes, firecrackers, skyrockets, aerial devices and fireworks containing yellow or white phosphorous or mercury.
Age to purchase: 16.
New Mexico
Fireworks permitted: All items that comply with the requirements of the CPSC, except stick-type rockets having a tube less than 1/4-inch inside diameter. Municipalities may prohibit the use of aerial and ground audible devices.
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 16.
New York
Fireworks permitted: Ground-based or handheld sparkling devices, including cylindrical fountains, cone fountains, and wood sparklers/dipped sticks; party poppers, snappers.
Fireworks prohibited: Aerial consumer fireworks, firecrackers and chasers, skyrockets, Roman candles, bombs, and metal-wire sparklers.
Age to purchase: 18.
North Carolina
Fireworks permitted: Sparklers, fountains, smoke devices, snake and glow worms, trick noisemakers such as party poppers, string poppers or snappers, and toy pistol caps.
Fireworks prohibited: Explosives or aerial fireworks, Roman candles, and rockets or similar devices.
Age to purchase: 16.
North Dakota
Fireworks permitted: Starlights, helicopter flyers, cylindrical fountains, cone fountains, wheels, torches, colored fire, sparklers, dipped sticks, comets, shells, soft shell firecrackers not to exceed 1 1/2-inch length and 1/4-inch in diameter, total pyrotechnic composition not to exceed 50 mg each.
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 12.
Ohio
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks are permitted on the following dates and times: July 3, 4, and 5, and the weekends immediately before and after (4 p.m.-11 p.m.)
Fireworks prohibited: See above.
Age to purchase: 18.
Oklahoma
Fireworks permitted: All consumer fireworks meeting the requirements of the CPSC, unless specifically prohibited. Novelties approved by U.S. DOT or deregulated by DOT.
Fireworks prohibited: Skyrockets, including bottle rockets or stick rockets, M-80s, mail order sales of fireworks, and door-to-door sales.
Age to purchase: 12.
Oregon
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks obtained from an Oregon permitted retail stands, such as cones, fountains, and wheels.
Fireworks prohibited: Aerial fireworks such as bottle rockets and roman candles. Also, any type of fireworks not obtained from an Oregon permitted retail stand. No internet purchases.
Age to purchase: 16.
Pennsylvania
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks that comply with the construction, chemical composition and labeling requirements of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and comply with the consumer fireworks provisions of APA Standard 87-1.
Fireworks prohibited: Anything that doesn’t contain 50 milligrams or less of explosive material.
Age to purchase: 18.
Rhode Island
Fireworks permitted: Handheld and ground-based sparkling devices, including fountains, illuminating torches, wheels, ground spinners, flitter sparklers, sparklers and novelties devices as defined in APA Std. 87-1.
Fireworks prohibited: Aerial consumer, display fireworks and pyrotechnics unless permits are obtained.
Age to purchase: 16.
South Carolina
Fireworks permitted: Small rockets less than 1/2-inch diameter and 3 inches long.
Fireworks prohibited: Aerial consumer, display fireworks, and pyrotechnics unless permits are obtained.
Age to purchase: 16.
South Dakota
Fireworks permitted: All fireworks that comply with CPSC regulations.
Fireworks prohibited: All consumer fireworks made wholly or partially of dynamite, nitroglycerin, or giant powder. Specifically prohibits firecrackers.
Age to purchase: 18.
Tennessee
Fireworks permitted: All fireworks that comply with CPSC regulations.
Fireworks prohibited: Illegal ground salutes and mail-order purchase of fireworks by consumers.
Age to purchase: 16.
Texas
Fireworks permitted: All fireworks meeting requirements of CPSC and DOT Consumer Fireworks definitions, except for small rockets (less than 4 gms propellant, and casings less than 5/8 of an inch x 3 1/2 inch and overall length including stick of less than 1.8 inches)
Fireworks prohibited: See section 2154.00 3(d).
Age to purchase: 16.
Utah
Fireworks permitted: Those fireworks sold at retail for consumer use and those not designated as Class C Dangerous Explosives. Aerial devices known as multiple tube, repeater, or cakes lit by a single fuse.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, bottle rockets, missiles, roman candles, skyrockets, rockets mounted on a wire or stick, ground salutes, M-80’s, cherry bombs, aerial salutes, flash shells, comets, mines, single shot or reloadable aerial shells, aerials that contain over 500 grams of pyrotechnic material and other illegal explosives are prohibited.
Age to purchase: 16.
Vermont
Fireworks permitted: Sparklers less than 14 inches long with no more than 20 grams of pyrotechnic mixture. Novelty sparkling items limited to snakes, party poppers, glow worms, smoke devices, string poppers, snappers, or drop pops with no more than 0.25 grains of explosive mixture, and that are in compliance with CPSC regulations.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, skyrockets, Roman candles, and torpedoes.
Age to purchase: 18.
Virginia
Fireworks permitted: Sparklers, fountains, pharaoh’s serpents, pinwheels, and whirligigs.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, skyrockets, torpedoes, and other fireworks which explode, travel laterally, rise into the air, or fire projectiles into the air.
Age to purchase: 18.
Washington
West Virginia
Fireworks permitted: Sparkling devices (fountains, wire sparklers, trick noisemakers, smoke devices, snakes). Firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles, bottle rockets, reloadable shells, missile-type rockets, helicopter and aerial spinners, multi-aerial mine and shell devices, and aerial shell kits.
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 18.
Wisconsin
Fireworks permitted: Cylinder fountains, cone fountains, sparklers containing no magnesium, chlorate or perchlorate; snakes containing no mercury, small smoke devices.
Fireworks prohibited: Firecrackers, wheels, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles, aerial salutes, and bombs.
Age to purchase: 16.
Wyoming
Fireworks permitted: Consumer fireworks meeting the requirements of the CPSC.
Fireworks prohibited: None listed per guidelines.
Age to purchase: 16.
