When can fireworks be sold
The Fireworks Regulations 2004 place the following responsibilities on retailers.
A licence is required to sell fireworks all year round. This licence costs £500 and is issued by the council.
If you do not have a licence to sell all year round then you can only sell fireworks during the following periods:
- On the first day of Chinese New Year and the three days preceding it.
- On the first day of Diwali and the three days preceding it.
- During the period beginning 15 October and ending 10 November.
- During the period beginning 26 December and ending on the 31 December.
You can download a fireworks licence application form from this page or if you would like us to post a form to you please contact us. Please return the completed form to our offices at Shirehall together with the appropriate fee. Please make cheques or postal orders payable to Shropshire Council. We will then send you a licence.
A poster should be provided by your supplier which states that it is illegal for persons under the age of 18 to possess fireworks in a public place. This must be displayed in clear view of the buying public, when fireworks are supplied from premises. When supplied other than from actual premises the information must be given to the purchaser.
If you are planning on storing fireworks, please consult our explosives and fireworks storage web page. See link below.
It is illegal to supply a firework which has a decibel level of over 120 dB A-Imax.
If you sell fireworks that contain in excess of 50 kg of explosives (net explosive quantity - NEQ) to any one purchaser, a record must be kept of the name and address of the supplier, the date supplied, name and address of the purchaser, the date the purchase was made and the NEQ of the fireworks.
NB The NEQ is NOT the gross weight of the fireworks.
Legal requirements for the sale of fireworks
- It is illegal to sell fireworks to anyone under the age of 18. The only exceptions are party poppers, cracker snaps, caps, serpents or novelty matches where the minimum age is 16.
- All packets of sparklers must be labelled with the following statement – “Warning: not to be given to children under 5 years of age”.
- Fireworks prepacked in a selection box or pack must not be split up and sold individually.
- All fireworks sold for use by the general public must comply with British Standard 7114. Do not stock fireworks unless they are marked “Complies with BS 7114: Part 2 1988" (or for packs “Contents comply with BS 7114: Part 2 1988").
- Fireworks cannot be sold in the street or in any public place.
- The name and address of the manufacturer must not be removed from the packaging of the fireworks.
Fireworks that must not be supplied to the general public
- Both small and large bangers including batteries such as 'Chinese Crackers' and combinations containing any type of banger. (These larger bangers are those designed for outdoor use in large open spaces and are classified as Category 3 fireworks).
- Mini-rockets or Air Bombs.
- Category 4 fireworks - these are professional fireworks and are not intended for sale to the general public.
- Aerial maroons, aerial shells, shell-in-mortars and maroon-in-mortars.
- Any firework with erratic flight, for example squibs, jumping crackers and helicopters.
- Certain other explosives
Preventing underage sales of fireworks
- A notice must be displayed in a prominent position, stating “It is illegal to sell adult fireworks or sparklers to anyone under the age of eighteen. It is illegal for anyone under the age of eighteen to possess adult fireworks in a public place”.
- This notice must be at least 420mm x 297mm and whose letters must be at least 16mm high.
- It is difficult to assess the age of young people. Train staff to request proof of age from customers who appear under 25. Only continue with the sale if they prove that they are at least 18.
- Be aware of “novelty” id cards. Only accept documentation containing a photo, and proof of age cards that contain a “PASS” logo, such as ValidateUK or Citizencard.
- Exercise your right to refuse sales if you suspect that a young person is underage, or that fireworks will be misused.
- Record all requests for proof of age and monitor that all staff are doing so.
- In accordance with Government guidelines, Shropshire Council's Trading Standards Service uses underage volunteers to attempt to purchase age restricted products, including fireworks where this is appropriate.
Fireworks Curfews
Fireworks cannot be used between 11pm and 7am except on:-
- Bonfire night (5th November) they can be used from 11pm to midnight
- Chinese New Year they can be used from 11pm to 1am the following day
- Diwali they can be used from 11pm to 1am the following day
- New Years Eve (31 December) they can be used from 11pm to 1am the following day