Columbus, IN Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- June 29 to July 9 (not July 4)
- 5:00 p.m. to two hours after sunset, 11:00 p.m. latest
- July 4 and December 31
- 10:00 a.m. to midnight
- Diwali
- 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., day before, day of, day after
- Conflict with state hours
- State statute controls (§ 8.12.190 B)
- Fine
- $25 to $300 per day, $2,500 yearly cap (§ 8.12.195)
Summary
Consumer fireworks may be used inside the corporate limits of the City of Columbus, Indiana only in set windows under section 8.12.190: evenings from June 29 through July 9 (except July 4), all day on July 4 and December 31, and a six to ten p.m. window around Diwali. If state hours conflict, the state statute controls.
A. Pursuant to I.C. 22-11-14-6(d), I.C. 22-11-14-10.5, and this chapter, consumer fireworks may only be used in the City of Columbus. Indiana, corporate limits during the days and times listed below: 1. Between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and two hours after sunset on June 29 through July 3 and July 5 through July 9, however, regardless of what time sunset occurs, no later than 11:00 p.m.; 2. Between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and midnight on July 4 and December 31; and 3. Between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. the day before, the day of, and the day after Diwali. B. In the event that the hours of use for consumer fireworks listed in I.C. 22-11-14-6(d) or I.C. 22-11-14-10.5 (c)(3) conflict with this chapter, the state statute shall control.
Full Breakdown
Section 8.12.190 of the Columbus Municipal Code, enacted by the Columbus Common Council in Bartholomew County, Indiana, limits when consumer fireworks can be used inside city limits. It cites I.C. 22-11-14-6(d) and I.C. 22-11-14-10.5 and the chapter as its authority, and it governs use. It prints three windows.
Window one runs from June 29 through July 3 and July 5 through July 9. Use is allowed between 5:00 p.m. and two hours after sunset, but regardless of what time sunset occurs, no later than 11:00 p.m.
Window two covers July 4 and December 31, when use is allowed between 10:00 a.m. and midnight.
Window three covers Diwali. Use is allowed between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. the day before, the day of, and the day after Diwali, which gives the festival a three-day span with a shorter evening cutoff than July 4.
Subsection B settles conflicts with state law. If the hours of use listed in I.C. 22-11-14-6(d) or I.C. 22-11-14-10.5 (c)(3) conflict with this chapter, the state statute shall control. The city window is therefore a ceiling that cannot stretch past what the cited state provisions allow.
The section sits in Chapter 8.12, the Fire Prevention Ordinance, where the Fire Chief or designee enforces. Under section 8.12.110, a property owner aggrieved by a Fire Chief order can file a written petition within thirty days for a hearing before the Board of Public Works and Safety. A person who holds an event on any date outside the three windows has no printed allowance in this section.
Violations & Fines
Section 8.12.195 treats a violation of the Fire Prevention Code as an ordinance violation, with a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars or more than three hundred dollars per day for each violation, not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars per year. When nothing else is specified, each ten days that a prohibited condition is maintained is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can I use fireworks on July 4 in Columbus, Indiana?
Can I set off fireworks on July 3 or July 5?
Does Columbus, Indiana have special fireworks hours for Diwali?
What happens if state law and the city hours disagree?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbus
How Columbus compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Columbus to another location·View the Indiana fire regulations overview
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