Bethlehem, PA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

Two layers of law govern consumer fireworks in Bethlehem. (1) State: Pennsylvania Act 74 of 2022 (3 Pa. C.S.A. Sections 2401 et seq.) re-enacted Pennsylvania's consumer-fireworks regime after the 2017 Act 43 expansion. Act 74 allows persons 18 and older to purchase and use consumer-grade (1.4G) fireworks (firecrackers, Roman candles, bottle rockets and similar devices) subject to a statewide 150-foot setback: 'A person may not ignite, discharge or otherwise use consumer fireworks within 150 feet of an occupied structure, whether or not a person is actually present.' The 150-foot zone applies to the user's own house too, which makes backyard discharge impossible on virtually any urban lot. Act 74 also sets a default hours floor of 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (until 1:00 a.m. on July 4 and December 31), and permits municipalities to impose stricter hours. (2) Local: Bethlehem's Article 746 (Consumer Fireworks) at Section 746.03 prohibits ignition, discharge or launch of consumer fireworks within the City between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. - one hour earlier in the evening and one hour later in the morning than the state default. Section 746.04 makes it a separate offense for a property owner or tenant to permit fireworks discharge by another person on or from their property during the banned hours. Section 746.05 bans consumer fireworks entirely on City-owned property (parks, buildings, streets, sidewalks and rights of way) without a special permit. Section 5608.1.1 (added to the IFC by Article 1501.05(pp)) makes Article 746 applicable to all fireworks and applies IFC display-fireworks provisions to professional 1.3G displays. Bethlehem's dense urban core means the state 150-foot setback effectively bars residential backyard discharge across the city.