Are Fireworks Legal in Alabama?
Yes, fireworks are legal in Alabama. The state allows the sale and use of all Class C consumer fireworks that meet federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) standards. That means Alabama residents can buy and shoot off a wide range of products — from bottle rockets and Roman candles to 500-gram repeater cakes and artillery shells — as long as those items comply with federal labeling and composition limits.
What You Can Buy and Shoot
Alabama permits aerial devices, audible ground devices, sparkling devices, and novelty items. Firecrackers, sparklers, fountains, smoke bombs, and multi-shot aerials are all fair game. The state does draw a hard line at anything exceeding two grains of explosive composition per device. That rules out M-80s, cherry bombs, silver salutes, and any other so-called "illegal ground salutes." Those are banned for manufacture, possession, sale, and use statewide — no exceptions.
Novelty items like toy caps, snakes, snap pops, smoke balls, and wire sparklers (under 100 grams of composition) can be sold and used year-round without any special permit.
When You Can Buy
Alabama restricts retail fireworks sales to two seasonal windows:
- June 20 through July 10
- December 15 through January 2
Outside those dates, retailers cannot sell consumer fireworks. Sales from tents or motor vehicles are also prohibited — you have to buy from a permanent structure with a valid permit from the State Fire Marshal.
Age Requirements
You must be at least 16 years old to purchase fireworks in Alabama. Minors under 16 can buy if accompanied by an adult. Retailers are also prohibited from selling to anyone who is visibly intoxicated or deemed irresponsible — that language is actually written into the statute.
Where You Can't Shoot
State law prohibits discharging fireworks within 600 feet of any church, hospital, asylum, or public school, as well as any enclosed building, including private homes. That buffer zone catches a lot of people off guard. In practice, it means dense residential neighborhoods can be tricky even in areas where fireworks are otherwise legal.
Local Rules Can Change Everything
Here is where Alabama gets complicated. Cities and counties can — and frequently do — impose their own fireworks bans. Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Hoover, and Athens all prohibit consumer fireworks outright within city limits. Meanwhile, neighboring unincorporated areas or smaller towns like Center Point may allow them freely. This patchwork means you could legally buy fireworks five minutes from your house but face a fine for lighting them in your own backyard.
Penalties vary by jurisdiction. State-level violations are misdemeanors, but city ordinances can carry fines ranging from $100 to $500 or more depending on the municipality.
Where to Buy
Licensed fireworks retailers operate along major highways and near county lines throughout Alabama, particularly in areas bordering cities with local bans. You will see the biggest concentration of stands and shops along I-65, I-59, and US-280 corridors during the summer selling season.
Local tip: Before you light a single fuse, call your city's non-emergency line or check their website for the current ordinance. The rules can literally change at the city limit sign, and "I didn't know" won't get you out of a citation.