ARE FIREWORKS LEGAL IN VIRGINIA?
Fireworks are restricted in Virginia.
Consumer fireworks are restricted in Virginia. Only sparklers, fountains, and other ground-based devices are legal. Aerial fireworks are banned.
📅 WHEN CAN YOU USE FIREWORKS?
No state-level date restrictions for permissible (ground-based) fireworks
No state-level time restrictions; local jurisdictions may set their own hours and date limits
Virginia allows permissible fireworks (ground-based only) year-round at the state level with no specific date or time windows. However, Code of Virginia §27-97 allows local jurisdictions to adopt fire prevention regulations that are MORE restrictive than state code. Many localities ban all fireworks (e.g., City of Alexandria, Falls Church). Others restrict sales to specific periods (e.g., Fairfax County: Jun 1–Jul 15). Always check local ordinances.
🎆 WHAT'S LEGAL IN VIRGINIA?
Bottle rockets, Roman candles, mortars, 500g cakes
Any firework that rises into the air, fires projectiles, explodes, or travels laterally is banned per Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code
Fountains, cones, wheels (pinwheels), ground spinners, whirligigs
Only items on the Virginia Permissible Fireworks List are legal; fountains must not emit sparks/flames higher than 12 ft in some jurisdictions
Sparklers, smoke bombs, snaps, poppers, snakes (pharaoh's serpents)
Firecrackers, strings
Expressly prohibited — classified as fireworks that explode
Spinning aerial devices
Any device that rises into the air is banned
Any DIY, altered, or reloaded fireworks
Illegal — possession of prohibited fireworks is a Class 1 misdemeanor; up to $2,500 fine and 1 year jail
📋 KEY RULES
Cannot sell to minors; minors must be supervised by adults when using permissible fireworks
Minors may use permissible fireworks under adult supervision
Private property with permission; only permissible (ground-based) fireworks from the Virginia Permissible Fireworks List
Many localities ban ALL fireworks including permissible ones (e.g., Alexandria, Falls Church). Check local ordinances. Public property generally requires permits.
Virginia Dept. of Fire Programs publishes annual list of field-tested approved items
Code of Virginia §27-97 authorizes localities to be more restrictive than state fire prevention code
⚖️ PENALTIES
Possession, manufacture, sale, or use of illegal fireworks
Class 1 misdemeanor: up to 1 year jail and/or up to $2,500 fine (Virginia Code §27-97 and Statewide Fire Prevention Code)
Illegal fireworks causing property damage
Class 1 misdemeanor plus civil liability for damages
Sale of non-permissible fireworks
Class 1 misdemeanor: up to 1 year jail and/or up to $2,500 fine; fireworks subject to confiscation
Violating local fireworks ordinance
Varies by locality — typically Class 1 misdemeanor or local fine schedule