Duluth, MN Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

Chapter 21, Article III defines the only fireworks Duluth allows a retailer to sell. Under § 21-40, "lawfully permitted fireworks" means wire or wood sparklers of no more than 100 grams of mixture per item, nonexplosive, nonaerial sparkling items with 75 grams or less per tube (200 grams for multiple tubes), snakes and glow worms, and "smoke devices or trick noisemakers" such as party poppers, string poppers, snappers and drop pops with no more than 25/100 grains of explosive mixture. Aerial and explosive consumer fireworks are outside this definition and outside any city permit.

Section 21-41 requires anyone who stores fireworks for retail sale, sells them at retail, or supplies them "as part of a commercial retail transaction" to first get a permit from the fire chief. Section 21-42 sets the mechanics: the applicant applies on the fire chief's forms, states where the fireworks will be sold and stored, pays a fee set under § 31-6(a) that is not prorated, and the permit runs "from May 1 to April 30 of each year" and cannot be transferred. Retail sale locations are further limited to private property "zoned in the C or M categories under Chapter 50" and are barred entirely from public rights-of-way, parks or other public grounds; a tenant applicant must submit the property owner's written permission with the application.

The fire chief may deny, suspend or revoke a permit for good cause after a hearing, including unlawful storage or sale, fraud on the application, or refusing to cooperate with an investigation (§ 21-43). Section 21-44 bans selling to anyone under 18 and lists driver's licenses, military IDs and passports as the only acceptable proof of age.