Abington, PA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Ban
- Manufacture, storage, sale, use, exploding all prohibited
- BOCA exception
- Wholesale/dealer/jobber sales exception deleted entirely
- Lawful path
- Permitted public display under NFPA Standard 1123 only
- Enforcer
- Township Fire Marshal, Section 85-3
- Fine
- Up to $300, plus up to 5 days jail, Section 85-8
Summary
Abington Township bans the manufacture, storage, sale, use and exploding of fireworks anywhere in the Township under its amended Fire Prevention Code, Section F-2700.1, and deletes the BOCA Code's exception that would otherwise let wholesalers, dealers and jobbers sell them. A licensed public display still needs a Township permit under NFPA Standard 1123.
F. Fireworks. ... F-2700 shall read as follows: ... F-2700.1. Prohibited Activities. The manufacture, storage, offering for sale, selling at retail, using or exploding of fireworks is prohibited within the township, except as provided in Chapter 27 of the BOCA National Fire Prevention Code/1990, with the further provision that Section F-2701.3, Exceptions, of said BOCA Code, which permits wholesale, dealer and jobber sales of fireworks is deleted in its entirety. F-2701.1.1. General Requirements for Outdoor Public Display. (1) The outdoor public display of fireworks shall be permitted only in compliance with the standards set forth in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1123, as amended, and only upon application for and obtaining of a permit from the township.
Full Breakdown
Section 85-4F of the Abington Township Code amends Section F-2700.1 of the Fire Prevention Code, prohibiting the manufacture, storage, offering for sale, selling at retail, using or exploding of fireworks within the Township, with the amendment adopted by Ordinance No. 1695 on June 11, 1991. The Township goes further than the base BOCA National Fire Prevention Code/1990 by deleting Section F-2701.3's exception in its entirety, the provision that would otherwise let wholesale, dealer and jobber sales of fireworks continue; in Abington, that carve-out does not apply.
The only path to lawful fireworks activity is an outdoor public display under Section F-2701.1.1, added by Ordinance No. 1719 on October 8, 1992. A public display must comply with National Fire Protection Association Standard 1123 and requires an application for and issuance of a Township permit before it can go forward. The Code Official decides what township services, including police, fire, ambulance and public works, the display requires, and the applicant must pay for those services and post an escrow fee the Code Official sets as adequate to cover the Township's expenses.
Enforcement of Chapter 85 runs through the Fire Marshal under Section 85-3, and any violation, including illegal possession, sale or private use of fireworks, falls under the general Fire Prevention Code penalty in Section 85-8.
Violations & Fines
A Chapter 85 violation, including manufacturing, storing, selling or setting off fireworks outside a permitted public display, is punishable under Section 85-8 by a fine of not more than $300, plus imprisonment for up to five days if the fine goes unpaid. Each day the violation continues, or each order not complied with, counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are consumer fireworks legal in Abington Township?
Can I hire a company for a fireworks display in Abington Township?
What happens if I set off fireworks illegally in Abington Township?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Abington
How Abington compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Abington to another location·View the Pennsylvania fire regulations overview
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