Fireworks & UK Law

Yes, it is legal to buy fireworks all year round in the UK. However, the retailer you buy from must hold a specialised, all-year-round selling licence (such as Firework Crazy)

Standard supermarkets and seasonal pop-up shops are restricted to selling only during specific periods around Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, Diwali, and Chinese New Year.

Consumers aged 18 and over can legally buy Category F1, F2, and F3 fireworks.

• Category F1 (Indoor): Very low hazard, intended for use in confined spaces (e.g., sparklers, party poppers).
• Category F2 (Garden): Low hazard, suited for smaller outdoor spaces. They require a minimum spectator safety distance of either 8 meters or 15 meters (always check the individual product label).
• Category F3 (Display): Medium hazard, designed for large open areas and major displays. These carry a strict minimum spectator safety distance of 25 meters.

No. Category 4 (F4) fireworks are strictly reserved for professional display operators. They are incredibly powerful, do not have retail packaging or safety fuses tailored for the public, and are illegal for general consumers to buy or possess.

You MUST be at least 18 year old to purchase adult fireworks (Categories F2 and F3) in the UK. It is illegal for anyone under 18 to possess fireworks in a public place.

Yes, you can legally buy fireworks online and have them delivered directly to your door.

However, because fireworks are classified as explosives, they cannot be sent via standard regular postal services like Royal Mail.

They must be shipped using specialised, licensed ADR couriers in compliant packaging, which is why firework delivery costs are generally higher than standard retail shipping.

Under the UK Explosives Regulations, home storage limits are based on the Net Explosive Content (NEC) – the actual weight of the gunpowder inside the item, not the total gross weight of the firework itself.

The legal limits for personal, unlicensed storage are:

• Up to 5kg NEC: You can store Category F2 or F3 fireworks (both 1.4G and 1.3G) indefinitely for personal use, provided they are kept safely.
• Up to 50kg NEC: You can store 1.4G fireworks for up to 21 days before your event.
• Up to 100kg NEC: You can store 1.3G fireworks for up to 5 days at the place you intend to use them.

Note: If you store a mix of 1.4G and 1.3G fireworks together, the entire batch is legally treated under the stricter 1.3G storage rules.

To keep your fireworks safe before your display, follow these essential guidelines:

1. Keep them in their original, closed transport boxes until you are ready to set them up.
2. Store them in a cool, completely dry place (like a sealed plastic tub inside a garage or a secure shed). Dampness will ruin the powder and make them dangerous to light.
3. Keep them far away from potential heat sources, open flames, boilers, or highly flammable materials (like petrol cans or paint thinners).
4. Ensure they are locked away or completely out of reach of children and pets.

Not exactly. In the UK, you can set off fireworks on private property any day of the year between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM. It is illegal to set them off during the night curfew (11:00 PM to 7:00 AM) except on four specific celebration nights where the curfew is legally extended:

• Bonfire Night (5th November): Allowed until Midnight.
• New Year’s Eve (31st December): Allowed until 1:00 AM the following morning.
• Diwali: Allowed until 1:00 AM the following morning.
• Chinese New Year: Allowed until 1:00 AM the following morning.

No, you do not need a license or any special permits to set off legal consumer fireworks (Categories F1, F2, and F3) on your own private property. However, it is an offense to set off or throw fireworks (including sparklers) in a street, park, or any other public space without formal local authority permission.