Fireworks

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

Fireworks displays notified to the Department:

* No events notified to the Department for November.

The Fireworks Act states fireworks can be bought only between October 25 and November 5, plus during the week up to New Year’s Eve.

Fireworks can be used at New Year’s Eve celebrations and between October 25 and November 7 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. However, 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 Old or out of date fireworks should be disposed of.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
Application for exemption from Fireworks Act (112 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Application for exemption from Fireworks Act
Firework Act 2004 a brief discription (54 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Firework Act 2004 a brief discription
Firework Display Notice (182 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Firework Display Notice for those wishing to hold an Event
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
Fireworks press notice 2007 (83 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File Fireworks press notice 2007

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