Firework safety code and the law
Fireworks are explosives and burn at high
temperatures, so they need careful handling and storage. Find out
about the firework safety code and about their use.
Firework safety checklist
Figures have shown that more children than
adults get hurt by fireworks. If you are thinking of using
fireworks as part of your celebrations, you should follow the steps
listed below.
Before your firework display
- Preparation is key to enjoying fireworks safely, so:
- Don’t buy fireworks from anywhere except one of the 53
registered sellers
- Only buy fireworks marked BS 7114 or with a CE mark – this
shows that the firework meets British or European safety
standards (a registered seller will know this)
- Follow the instructions on each firework – read them in
daylight or by torchlight, never by a naked flame
- Bring a closed metal box to store the fireworks – take them out
one at a time
- Prepare a bucket of water – to cool sparklers and put out any
small fires
- Wear eye protection and gloves
Lighting fireworks
- Follow these simple guidelines to stay safe:
- Only one person should be responsible for letting off
fireworks
- Don’t drink alcohol if you are setting off fireworks
- Light fireworks at arm’s length, using a taper
- Make sure everyone stands well back
- Never go back to a firework that has been lit – even if it
hasn’t gone off it could still explode
Sparklers
- Sparklers are fun, but always:
- Supervise children with sparklers and never
give them to a child under five
- Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves
- Put used sparklers hot end down into a bucket of sand or
water
Other tips on the night
- Finally, follow these other rules for a safe night:
- Keep pets indoors – most animals get very scared by the lights
and noise from fireworks
- Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
- Never throw spent fireworks on a bonfire
- Take care around bonfires – all clothes, even those labelled
‘low flammability’ - can catch fire
Fireworks and the law
There are laws about when fireworks can be
sold, and to who – as well as the times fireworks can be set
off.
If you are under 18, you can't:
- buy the types of fireworks which can be sold only to
adults
- have fireworks in public places
If you do, the police can give you an
on-the-spot fine of £80.
Using fireworks legally
It is against the law to:
- set off or throw fireworks in the street or other public
place
- set off fireworks between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am –
except during certain celebrations (or between midnight and
7:00am on Bonfire Night, 1:00am new Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese
New Year).
If found guilty by the courts, you could be
fined up to £5,000 and can be imprisoned for up to three
months.
You face arrest, charge and a criminal
record or an £80 on the spot fine.
When fireworks are available to buy
Fireworks for private use, and from a
registered seller, can only be sold:
- between 15 October and 10 November – around
Bonfire Night
- between 26 December and 31 December – for New
Year’s Eve
- 3 days before Diwali and Chinese New
Year
For the rest of the year, you will only be
able to buy fireworks from shops that are licensed to supply
them.
If you think a shop is unregistered, or
selling fireworks when they shouldn’t, contact your council’s
Trading Standards Officer. Your council will also have a list of
registered sellers.
Animals and pets
It is against the law to cause any
unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animal. The
penalty if found guilty is either imprisonment up to 51
weeks, or a fine of up to £20,000, or both.
Download the
PDF containing all this information here.
