California uniformly prohibits possession, sale, and use of dangerous fireworks statewide, while permitting cities to further restrict or ban Safe and Sane fireworks locally.
Health and Safety Code Sections 12500 through 12728 establish the State Fireworks Law, administered by the State Fire Marshal. The statute classifies fireworks as either Safe and Sane (such as fountains and ground spinners) or Dangerous (firecrackers, bottle rockets, sky rockets, M-80s, aerial shells). Possession, sale, transport, or use of Dangerous fireworks without a state display license is illegal everywhere in California regardless of local ordinance. Cities and counties may further prohibit Safe and Sane fireworks, but they cannot legalize Dangerous fireworks that the state has banned.
Misdemeanor with fines up to $1,000 and one year in county jail; possession of 25+ pounds of dangerous fireworks is a felony with fines up to $50,000.
See how Eureka's fireworks rules stack up against other locations.
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