Fireworks

The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for administering the Fireworks Act 2004.

Fireworks displays notified to the Department:

None at this time.

The Fireworks Act states fireworks up to the value of £25.00 can be bought only between specific times around Bonfire Night, plus during the week up to New Year’s Eve.

Fireworks can be set between specific dates surrounding Bonfire Night (from October 30 to 11.59pm on Sunday, November 8 in 2009), and between December 26 and January 1 without notifying the Department.

Anyone planning a fireworks display outside the permitted dates must inform the Department of Home Affairs, and advertise when and where the display is to be staged, using the fireworks display notice and fireworks press notice forms below. It is an offence, at any time, to let off a firework in a public place within the hearing or sight of a person or domestic animal likely to be caused harassment, annoyance, alarm or distress thereby.

Other advice includes ensuring any fireworks you buy conform to British Standard BS 7114. Old or out of date fireworks should be disposed of. Fireworks for a small private display should ideally be stored in a metal container and the person lighting the fireworks should not consume alcohol.

Sparklers should not be given to any child under the age of five – this is actually the biggest cause of Bonfire Night injury. Always make sure you have a bucket of water to place used sparklers in to prevent children picking them up and burning their hands.

Devices that are not classed as fireworks for the purposes of the Act include caps, cracker snaps, sparklers and party poppers. More information about fireworks can be found in the documents below along with the application form which must be completed by anyone planning a fireworks display outside the permitted times.

For any queries regarding the Fireworks Act 2004, please contact the Department of Home Affairs, tel. 01624 694300.

To download an application for exemption please click on the link below.

Downloadable Documents
Fireworks press notice 2009 (82 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Fireworks press notice 2009
Application for exemption 2009 (134 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Application for exemption 2009
Fireworks display notice (181 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Fireworks display notice
Firework Act 2004 a brief discription (54 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Firework Act 2004 a brief discription
Fireworks Act 2004 - Information (88 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Fireworks Act 2004 - Information
Exemptions (58 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Fireworks that are exempt from the notification requirements under the Fireworks Act 2004

You will need Adobe Acrobat to download documents that are PDFs, this is available free by following this link: