4th Of July 2024 Fireworks Laws: What’s Legal In VA

VIRGINIA — Home fireworks aren’t just for the 4th of July in many parts of the country, but before you start procuring pyrotechnics, be sure you know Virginia’s laws on consumer fireworks.

Fireworks have been significantly deregulated in the past two decades. Some types of fireworks are legal everywhere, except in Massachusetts. Many states also allow the use of fireworks on the days on either side of the 4th of July and other major holidays.

Virginia police and fire departments urge residents to leave the 4th of July fireworks to the professionals or face fines.

Here’s what you need to know about Virginia's fireworks law:

In Virginia, it is illegal to use fireworks that explode, fire projectiles, travel laterally, or rise into the air. Certain permissible fireworks such as fountains that do not emit sparks more than 5 meters and sparklers are allowed for use on private property unless banned by a locality. These include firecrackers, cherry bombs and skyrockets.

The possession, manufacture, handling, use or sale of illegal fireworks in Virginia can result in a Class 1 misdemeanor charge with a maximum penalty of a $2,500 fine and one year in jail.

Fireworks that are typically illegal are only allowed at public displays with a permit from the local fire marshal. Localities often encourage residents to enjoy professional shows and avoid private use due to the risk of fires and burns.

In the City of Alexandria, use of any fireworks is banned, except for permitted professional fireworks shows.

The City of Falls Church also bans the use and sale of all fireworks.

Other localities around Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg allow permissible fireworks only for use on private property with permission.

Every year, fireworks sales permitted by Fairfax County can sell permissible fireworks from June 1 to July 15. The county's fire code bans fireworks that explode, emit flames or sparks higher than 12 feet or have projectiles in the county, as well as in Herndon, Vienna and Clifton.

Similarly, Arlington County permits use of permissible fireworks on private property. The county bans fireworks that explode, emit flames or sparks higher than 12 feet or have projectiles, or leave the ground or rise (except for fountains). The county notes permissible fireworks cannot be sold to minors, and minors must be supervised by adults when using permissible fireworks.

Loudoun County provides a list of approved fireworks and approved stands to buy them at. Legal fireworks like sparklers and ground based fountains are allowed for use on private properties.

Prince William County also allows permissible fireworks like, sparklers, fountains, Pharaoh’s serpents caps for pistols and pinwheels, and spinning jennies. Banned fireworks include those that explode, emit flame or sparks to a distance over 12 feet rise, into the air, travel laterally or perform as a projectile other than sparks.

In the City of Manassas, fireworks that are projectiles, explode, and flame or spark to a distance greater than five meters are not allowed. Permissible fireworks are allowed for use on private properties.

The City of Manassas Park allows use of permissible fireworks approved by the fire marshal, such as sparklers, fountains, pharaoh's serpents, caps for pistols, pinwheels, whirligigs, and spinning jennies. Fireworks such as firecrackers, cherry bombs, Roman candles, torpedoes or skyrockets or others emitting sparks beyond a 12-foot distance or perform as a projectile are banned in the city.

The City of Fredericksburg bans use of explosive fireworks such as firecrackers, torpedoes, pyrotechnics and skyrockets but allows permissible fireworks on private property. Spotsylvania County and Stafford County also allow permissible fireworks use on private property.

The permissive atmosphere around fireworks regulation isn’t universal, though. In states that permit consumer fireworks, cities and counties may adopt stricter codes and ordinances. And in extreme drought or high-wind conditions, local fire officials may prohibit any use of fireworks.

And three states — Hawaii, Nevada and Wyoming — leave it to each county to decide where and what categories of fireworks are legal.

The strictest fireworks laws are in California, according to a map and list of state fireworks laws curated by Reader’s Digest. The law allows a limited window for fireworks use, from noon on June 28 through noon July 6,; restricts their use to people 16 and older; and also limits the kinds of fireworks people can buy.

Indiana has some of the most lenient laws. Anyone 18 or older can purchase and use fireworks whenever they want, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on non-holidays and later on holidays. All types of fireworks are legal as long as they meet U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission construction and labeling regulations.

States with stricter fireworks laws have cited data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission that shows thousands of people are injured in fireworks-related accidents every year, with multiple deaths reported as well. Some 10,200 people were injured and 11 died in fireworks accidents in 2022, according to the latest available data from the CPSC.

Also according to that report:

• Nearly three-fourths (73 percent) of 2022 injuries occurred in the weeks before and after the July 4 holiday.
• About 1,300 people were injured by fireworks and approximately 600 by sparklers.
• About 38 percent of people who were injured sustained burns, most often (29 percent) to the hands and fingers, but also the head, face and ears (19 percent), eyes (16 percent) and trunk or other part of the body (12 percent).

If you’re getting fireworks to celebrate Independence Day, follow these safety tips:

• Don’t allow young children to play with fireworks, including sparklers.
• Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby so you can douse a fire quickly.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then quickly step back.
• Never attempt to re-light or pick up a firework that did not ignite correctly.
• Don’t use fireworks if impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Here are fireworks safety tips from the Maryland fire marshal:

• Keep ignition sources away from children
• Use fireworks only outdoors
• Light only one firework at a time and move quickly away from the firework
• Keep children and pets away from fireworks
• Never light fireworks in your hand
• Never throw fireworks
• Soak used fireworks in a bucket of water
• Clean up debris from fireworks
• Never attempt to re-light a firework that did not go off
• Wait 15-20 minutes if a firework did not go off, then soak in a bucket of water
• Do not allow children to handle ground-based or hand-held sparklers. The temperature of a sparkler can reach 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.
• When handling sparklers, do not wear loose clothing.
• You must be at least 16 years old to purchase hand-held and ground-based sparklers.

Fireworks have always been part of Independence Day celebrations. After the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, that Independence Day “ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shews, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more.”

The first Independence Day fireworks display occurred on July 4, 1777. They came in only one color — orange — back then, according to the Smithsonian Institution. Today, they light up the sky with red, white and blue, the color of the U.S. flag, but also other colors.

At the turn of the century, about a third of fireworks displays were professional shows, according to Scientific American.

The gradual deregulation of fireworks occurred partly to tap lost tax revenue from residents crossing state lines to buy fireworks in states with more-lenient laws, but also because of lax enforcement.