Fireworks Safety and State Fireworks Laws

Between 2000 and 2006, at least 49 people have been killed by fireworks in the U.S., and half of those deaths were caused by the use of illlegal fireworks, according to a Press Release from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). According to Acting CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord, "[l]ast year an estimated 9,200 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for firework-related injuries. The majority, 6,400, occurred during the one-month period surrounding the 4th of July."

• CPSC Press Release
• CPSC Video on Fireworks Safety
• Fireworks Safety Tips [PDF] (CPSC)
• Accident & Injury Center (FindLaw)

All fireworks devices intended for (or sold to) consumers -- except for firecrackers -- must meet federal performance requirements. In addition, legal issues related to sale and use of fireworks vary from state to state. Below you will find information on fireworks laws. You can also contact your local fire or police department to find out which types of fireworks are legal in your area.

• State-By-State Fireworks Laws (National Council on Fireworks Safety)
• NY Times: Fireworks Fans Defy the Law, Crossing State Lines for Some 'Red, White and Boom!'