Are Fireworks Legal in Hawaii?
Barely, and the rules got dramatically stricter in 2025. Hawaii has some of the toughest fireworks laws in the nation, driven in large part by the deadly Aliamanu explosion on New Year's Eve 2024 that killed six people and injured more than twenty. The state now treats possession, distribution, or use of illegal fireworks as a felony, with penalties reaching $25,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. What you can legally use depends entirely on which county you are in.
What Is Legal — By County
Hawaii's fireworks laws are set at the county level, creating significant variation across the islands:
- Oahu (City and County of Honolulu): The strictest rules. Only firecrackers are permitted, and only with a $25 permit from the Honolulu Fire Department. Each permit allows the purchase of up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. Sparklers, fountains, snakes, wheels, ground spinners, and all other consumer fireworks are illegal on Oahu.
- Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii County (Big Island): Consumer fireworks — ground-based items like fountains, sparklers, and firecrackers — are permitted with a permit. Each county issues its own permits through the local fire department.
Aerial fireworks, display fireworks, and pyrotechnic articles are illegal for personal use statewide, with no exceptions.
When You Can Use Them
Legal consumer fireworks (with a valid permit) may be used during a four-hour window: 9:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve through 1:00 a.m. on New Year's Day. Outside the Oahu restrictions, some counties may also allow limited use around the Fourth of July and Chinese New Year, but only by permit.
Age Requirement
You must be at least 18 years old to obtain a firecracker permit or purchase any fireworks. Minors may only use fireworks under the direct supervision of a parent or authorized adult. Under the 2025 laws, parents and guardians can be held criminally liable if their minor children possess or use illegal fireworks.
2025 Law Changes
Governor Josh Green signed two landmark bills into law on June 30, 2025 (Acts 243 and 244), fundamentally reshaping Hawaii's fireworks enforcement:
- Possessing, distributing, or setting off illegal fireworks is now a felony carrying up to 10 years in prison and $25,000 in fines
- Setting off illegal aerial fireworks within 500 feet of a dwelling carries up to 1 year in jail and $2,000 in fines
- If illegal fireworks cause serious bodily injury or death, charges can escalate to a Class A felony with up to 20 years in prison
- Police can now issue $300 civil citations for unpermitted fireworks — processed like traffic tickets
- Law enforcement is authorized to use drones over public areas to identify violators
- Property owners are liable for illegal fireworks used on their property
Penalties
Hawaii's penalties are among the harshest in the country. Beyond the felony charges described above, repeat offenders face escalating sentences within a 10-year lookback period. The state intercepted more than 40 tons of illegal fireworks at Hawaii ports in 2025 alone.
Where to Buy
Legal firecrackers (on Oahu) and permitted consumer fireworks (on neighbor islands) must be purchased from licensed retailers no earlier than five days before the permitted use date. There are no year-round consumer fireworks shops in Hawaii. Importing fireworks from the mainland without proper licensing is a serious criminal offense.
Local tip: Hawaii takes fireworks enforcement more seriously than almost any other state. After the Aliamanu tragedy, police run undercover operations, drone surveillance, and port inspections targeting illegal fireworks. If you are visiting the islands for New Year's, attend a professional display at Waikiki, Ko Olina, or Wai Kai. The risk of a felony conviction is not worth it.