Racine County, WI Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

Under Wis. Stat. §167.10(1), 'fireworks' means anything manufactured, processed, or packaged for exploding, emitting sparks, or combustion that has no other common use. The statute exempts: sparklers on a wire or wood stick not over 36 inches, toy snakes containing no mercury, smoke devices, cylindrical and cone fountains classified as Division 1.4 explosives, novelty ground devices, and caps containing under one-quarter grain of explosive mixture. Wis. Stat. §167.10(3)(c) limits permit issuance to enumerated holders such as public authorities, fair associations, amusement parks, park boards, civic organizations, individuals or groups, or agricultural producers protecting crops, and a permit issued under §167.10(3)(c) may not be issued to a minor. Wis. Stat. §167.10(3) requires that fireworks not be stored or handled within 50 feet of a dwelling and not within 50 feet of any public assemblage or any place where gasoline or volatile liquid is dispensed in quantities exceeding one gallon; storage operators must notify the local fire official of the location. Wis. Stat. §167.10(5)(b) authorizes local ordinances that are more restrictive but not less restrictive than the statute. In Racine County, each municipality enforces its own version: the City of Racine prohibits the sale, use, possession, or discharge of fireworks within city limits except by permit; smaller villages and towns commonly issue user's permits for residential July 4 use only after a fire department review. Public displays anywhere in the county require a Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services pyrotechnic operator license under Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 314, plus the local user's permit. Wisconsin Statute 167.10 enforcement is handled by local police, sheriff's deputies, and district attorneys.