Are Fireworks Legal in Arizona?
Partially. Arizona allows ground-based consumer fireworks but bans anything that flies into the air or explodes. If it launches, detonates, or shoots across the ground unpredictably, it is illegal for personal use statewide. What you can legally use falls into a narrow category the state calls "permissible consumer fireworks," and even those are restricted to specific dates and hours.
What You Can Use
Arizona law limits consumers to ground and handheld sparkling devices, cylindrical and cone fountains, illuminating torches, wheels, ground spinners, flitter sparklers, toy smoke devices, wire sparklers, dipped sticks, and multiple-tube ground sparkling devices. All must conform to Section 3.5 of the American Pyrotechnics Association standard APA 87-1.
The following are always illegal for consumer use:
- Sky rockets and bottle rockets
- Roman candles
- Firecrackers
- Aerial spinners and helicopter rockets
- Reloadable shell devices
- Any single-tube aerial device
Novelty items — snappers, snap caps, glow worms, snakes, party poppers, and sparklers — are exempt from the seasonal restrictions and can be sold and used year-round.
When You Can Buy and Use
Arizona ties both sales and use to specific holiday windows. For counties with more than 500,000 people (Maricopa and Pima), the dates are:
- Sale periods: April 25–May 6, May 20–July 6, and December 10–January 3
- Use periods: May 4–May 6, June 24–July 6, and December 24–January 3
Smaller counties follow slightly different schedules under ARS 36-1606. Regardless of county, use is prohibited between 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. every night, with two exceptions: you can use fireworks until 1:00 a.m. on the nights of July 4 and December 31.
Fire Restrictions Override Everything
This is critical in Arizona. When federal or state agencies implement Stage 1 or higher fire restrictions, local governments can ban fireworks sales and use even during the normally permitted windows. Given Arizona's dry climate and regular wildfire seasons, these restrictions are common and often come with little advance notice.
Age Requirement
You must be at least 16 years old to purchase permissible consumer fireworks in Arizona.
Penalties
Penalties vary by city but are getting steeper. Fines for using fireworks outside permitted dates or using illegal aerial devices range from $150 in some jurisdictions to $1,000 or more in places like Gilbert and Tempe. Some cities classify violations as Class 2 misdemeanors. If your fireworks cause a wildfire, you could face criminal charges well beyond a simple fine.
Local Variations
Cities like Phoenix technically ban consumer fireworks through their fire code but are preempted by state law during the permitted dates. Other jurisdictions, like Maricopa County, enforce additional bans during high fire danger periods. Always check your specific city's rules.
Where to Buy
Licensed retailers set up seasonal stands throughout the Phoenix metro area, Tucson, and along major highways during the selling windows. You will also find permanent fireworks shops near the state borders, particularly along I-17 and I-10 corridors.
Local tip: Keep an eye on fire restriction announcements from your county and the Bureau of Land Management in the weeks before July 4th. Arizona's dry heat means restrictions can drop at any time, and a firework that was legal yesterday can earn you a citation today.