Doña Ana County, NM Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

Section 200-5 of the County Code limits what fireworks may be sold or used in the unincorporated areas. Only permissible fireworks, ground and handheld sparkling devices such as cone fountains, crackling devices, cylindrical fountains, flitter sparklers, ground spinners, illuminating torches, and wheels, may legally be sold or used. Every aerial device, including reloadable shell kits, aerial spinners, helicopters, mines, missile-type rockets, multiple-tube devices, Roman candles, shells, and stick-type rockets, is nonpermissible, along with ground audible devices like chasers and firecrackers, and using any of them in the unincorporated County is prohibited outright.

Section 200-5D carves out a narrow exception for licensed specialty retailers: they may possess, offer, and sell aerial and ground audible devices, but only to customers who aren't Doña Ana County residents, and only from a permanent retail location within a quarter mile of a federal interstate access ramp, at least a quarter mile from any other existing specialty retailer, and at least 1,000 feet from any municipality. Retail sale of permissible fireworks is limited to fixed calendar windows under § 200-5E: June 20 through July 6, six days through New Year's Day, three days through Chinese New Year, September 16, and Cinco de Mayo, though stores whose primary business is tourism may sell permissible fireworks year-round.

Public fireworks displays are handled separately under §§ 200-6 and 200-7: a sponsor needs a permit from the County Fire Chief, must apply at least 15 days ahead with the display's time, place, and supplier information, must buy display fireworks from a distributor licensed by the State Fire Marshal and the federal ATF, and must follow NFPA Standard 1123.