Huntington Beach, CA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Sale window
- Noon-10pm July 1-3; 10am-9pm July 4
- Discharge allowed
- Only July 4, noon to 10 p.m.
- Stand buffer
- 300 feet from any fireworks stand
- Flammable liquid buffer
- 100 feet from stored flammable liquids
- Minimum seller/buyer age
- 18 years old
- Permits issued by
- City Manager, lottery to nonprofits only
- Banned zones
- Beach, parks, wetlands, ocean side of PCH
Summary
Huntington Beach bans all fireworks except city-permitted Safe and Sane fireworks sold by lottery-selected nonprofits and discharged only on July 4 between noon and 10 p.m. Dangerous fireworks are illegal citywide year-round. The Fire Chief enforces buffer zones, sale windows, and permit revocations, and can seize any fireworks held or sold in violation of Chapter 5.90.
Except as provided in this Chapter, no person shall possess, sell, use, display, or discharge any fireworks, including, but not limited to, any Dangerous Fireworks, altered Safe and Sane Fireworks, or other combustible device or explosive substance or any kind of fireworks by another name.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4954605; v17 updated 2026-06-16).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 5.90 bans all fireworks in Huntington Beach except City-permitted Safe and Sane fireworks, and even those are tightly restricted. Section 5.90.060 requires a Permit before anyone may sell Safe and Sane fireworks, and Section 5.90.070 limits those permits to Qualified Organizations, nonprofits, schools, and recognized affiliates in existence at least one year, chosen through an annual City Manager lottery; each of the City's four public high schools receives an automatic permit, with a fifth reserved for a lottery among private high schools. Section 5.90.080 fixes the sale window at noon to 10:00 p.m. on July 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on July 4th, and bars anyone under 18 from buying or selling.
Discharge is even narrower: Section 5.90.120(B) allows igniting Safe and Sane fireworks only on July 4th between noon and 10:00 p.m., and Section 5.90.120(A) bans any discharge on a beach, wetland, public park, or the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway regardless of date. Section 5.90.120(C) adds a 10-foot buffer from any residence, dwelling, structure, or oil well and bars use on another's property without consent, while Section 5.90.120(E) sets a 300-foot buffer around any Fireworks Stand and Section 5.90.120(F) bars storage, sale, or discharge within 100 feet of stored gasoline or flammable liquid.
The Fire Chief may still grant a separate permit for public displays or theatrical performances under Section 5.90.050. Fireworks wholesalers must submit an annual public education plan to the Fire Department by 5:00 p.m. on June 1st under Section 5.90.140.
Violations & Fines
Selling, discharging, or possessing any fireworks outside the narrow Safe and Sane exception is enforced by the Fire Chief, who may seize stock outright under Section 5.90.130. Permits can be revoked immediately, without notice or a hearing, for any Federal, State, or City law violation, and a revoked permittee is barred from the lottery for two years under Section 5.90.110. Selling to, or letting, a minor under 18 sell is also barred under Section 5.90.080.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Huntington Beach
How Huntington Beach compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·California rules heatmap·Compare Huntington Beach to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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