Overview
- Fireworks may be set off legally until 1 a.m. on New Year’s, after which setting them off can trigger a £90 on-the-spot fine.
- Illegal sale or use can lead to an unlimited fine and up to six months’ imprisonment, with enforcement in effect over the holiday period.
- Private buyers can purchase only from registered sellers during set windows—15 Oct–10 Nov, 26–31 Dec, and the three days before Diwali and Chinese New Year—or from licensed shops at other times.
- You must be 18 or older to buy ‘adult’ fireworks; do not set them off in streets or public places; consumer fireworks fall under categories 2 and 3, with category 4 restricted to professionals and a 120 dB noise limit for consumer types.
- Rules vary by nation: Scotland’s use rules can differ as a devolved matter, Northern Ireland generally requires a fireworks licence, and in the Republic of Ireland most consumer fireworks are illegal without a licence with arrest powers and significant penalties.