Durham County, NC Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

G.S. 14-410 makes it unlawful for any individual, firm, partnership, or corporation to manufacture, purchase, sell, deal in, transport, possess, receive, advertise, use, handle, exhibit, or discharge any pyrotechnics within North Carolina, a prohibition that reaches unincorporated Durham County the same as anywhere else in the state. The statute exempts only a narrow set of items, explosive caps for toy pistols not exceeding 0.25 grams per cap and snake or glow-worm pellets, plus one path back to legal fireworks use: a concert or public exhibition where the operator has secured written authority under G.S. § 14-413 from the county's board of commissioners.

Durham County Code Sec. 16-14 implements that state permit authority locally. It grants the county fire marshal the delegated power to issue pyrotechnics-use permits, requires an application at least ten days before the planned display with the names and addresses of every operator, and conditions issuance on the applicant meeting every requirement of Chapter 33 of the North Carolina State Fire Prevention Code, paying the applicable fee, and posting a bond or insurance certificate of at least $1,000,000.00 covering property damage plus a separate $1,000,000.00 covering personal injuries. Absent that permit, possessing or discharging consumer fireworks anywhere in the county, private backyard included, remains a state-law violation regardless of county lines.