North Carolina: Are fireworks legal?
North Carolina allows sparklers, fountains and other ground or hand-held sparkling devices, but bans fireworks that explode, spin or fly.
State law bans all pyrotechnics, then exempts items such as snakes, party poppers, wire sparklers, and hand-held or ground-based sparkling devices that do not explode, spin or propel themselves into the air. Those devices are limited to 75 grams of chemical compound per tube, or 200 grams total for multi-tube items. Firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles and aerial cakes stay illegal for private use, and selling the exempt devices to anyone under 16 is prohibited. Cities and counties can have their own rules.
Conditions
- Must be 16 or older to buy the exempt sparkling devices
- Devices limited to 75 grams per tube or 200 grams total
What the law says
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, it shall be unlawful for any individual, firm, partnership or corporation to manufacture, purchase, sell, deal in, transport, possess, receive, advertise, use, handle, exhibit, or discharge any pyrotechnics of any description whatsoever within the State of North Carolina. ... Other sparkling devices which emit showers of sparks and sometimes a whistling or crackling effect when burning ... do not detonate or explode, do not spin, are hand-held or ground-based, cannot propel themselves through the air ...
Sources
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-410 Official · ncleg.gov
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-414 Official · ncleg.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal
- Phone
- 919-647-0000
- Website
- ncosfm.gov
How bordering states compare
- Georgia Aerial fireworks allowedGeorgia allows adults 18 and older to buy and use consumer fireworks, including Roman candles and aerial items, within state time and place limits.
- South Carolina Aerial fireworks allowedSouth Carolina allows the sale and use of 1.4G consumer fireworks, including aerial ones, except small bottle rockets, to buyers 16 and older.
- Tennessee Aerial fireworks allowedTennessee allows standard consumer (Class C) fireworks, which include aerial items, to buyers 16 and older, except in its largest counties.
- Virginia Sparklers and ground fireworks onlyVirginia allows only 'permissible fireworks' such as sparklers, fountains and wheels; anything that explodes, flies or shoots projectiles is banned.
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