Are Fireworks Legal in Georgia?
Yes, and Georgia is one of the more permissive states in the Southeast. Since 2015, when HB 110 legalized consumer fireworks, Georgia residents 18 and older can purchase and use a full range of 1.4G consumer fireworks, including firecrackers, Roman candles, bottle rockets, sky rockets, aerial shells, mortars, and sparklers. The state sets statewide time windows for use and preempts local governments from banning fireworks on major holidays.
What You Can Buy
Georgia permits all consumer fireworks classified as DOT 1.4G devices. That includes:
- Firecrackers and strings
- Roman candles and bottle rockets
- Sky rockets and missiles
- Aerial shells and mortars
- Repeater cakes (200-gram and 500-gram)
- Fountains, sparklers, and ground devices
The one notable exception: sky lanterns (floating lanterns that use flame for propulsion) are illegal to sell, purchase, or release in Georgia.
When You Can Use Them
Georgia allows fireworks use every day of the year between 10:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. On certain holidays, the window extends later:
- January 1: Midnight to 1:00 a.m., then 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
- Last Saturday and Sunday of May (Memorial Day weekend): 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
- July 3 and July 4: 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
- First Monday in September (Labor Day): 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
- December 31: 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., plus midnight to 1:00 a.m. on January 1
On holidays, state law preempts local noise ordinances, meaning cities cannot further restrict the time windows. On non-holiday days, however, local noise ordinances can effectively shut down fireworks earlier than 11:59 p.m.
Age Requirement
You must be 18 years old to purchase consumer fireworks in Georgia. All sales must be conducted in person — online fireworks purchases are not permitted. Retailers are required to check identification.
Where You Cannot Shoot
Georgia law restricts fireworks use near a long list of sensitive locations. You cannot discharge fireworks within 100 yards of:
- Hospitals, nursing homes, and health care facilities
- Electric substations and nuclear power plants
- Water and wastewater treatment plants
- Gas stations and fuel storage facilities (over 500 gallons)
- Any jail, prison, or detention center
Fireworks are also banned on public roads, rights-of-way, state parks, and any city or county property without a special permit. A 2025 law (HB 614) allows counties to prohibit fireworks within 200 yards of horse-boarding facilities.
Alcohol and Fireworks
Georgia specifically makes it a misdemeanor to use fireworks while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Think of it as a DUI for pyrotechnics — and prosecutors do charge it.
Drought Restrictions
When the Keetch-Byram Drought Index reaches 700 or higher in a county, the Governor can declare a drought and ban all consumer fireworks in affected areas immediately. These bans override the normal statewide rules and remain in effect until conditions improve.
Penalties and Taxes
Violations of Georgia's fireworks laws are misdemeanors. Causing property damage or injury through reckless or intentional fireworks use carries additional criminal charges and civil liability. All fireworks purchases include a 5% excise tax that funds the Georgia Trauma Care Network, firefighter equipment, and local public safety.
Where to Buy
Licensed fireworks retailers operate year-round throughout Georgia, with heavy concentrations along I-75, I-85, I-95, and near the Florida and South Carolina borders. Seasonal stands pop up in June and December. You will also find large permanent retailers in suburban areas around Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta.
Local tip: Georgia's daily 10 a.m. to midnight window is generous, but on non-holidays your city's noise ordinance can override it. In places like Athens, if fireworks are audible from 100 feet past your property line after the local quiet hour, you are in violation. On July 3rd and 4th, the state takes over and your city cannot stop you during the legal hours — but your neighbors will remember how you handled it.