Kauai County, HI Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

Fireworks in Kauai County are governed primarily by Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 132D (Fireworks Control Law) with local administration by the Kauai Fire Department (KFD) Fire Prevention Bureau, located at 4444 Rice Street, Suite 315, in Lihue (808-241-4985). Aerial devices, display fireworks, articles pyrotechnic, and any item that flies or detonates are prohibited statewide without a state license and corresponding county permit. Consumer fireworks permitted without a license under HRS 132D include snakes, sparklers, fountains (cylindrical and cone), whistles, toy smoke devices, wheels, ground spinners, illuminating torches, colored fire, dipped sticks, and salutes. Firecrackers require a Firecracker Permit issued by KFD: each permit costs $25, allows the holder to purchase up to 5,000 individual firecrackers, applicants must be at least 18 years old, and permits may be obtained online through connect.kauai.gov (Kauai Fire Department > Firecracker Permit) and must be validated in person at KFD Headquarters during weekday hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Under HRS 132D as amended by Act 243 (2025), each person is limited to no more than 50 firecracker permits per year. Firecrackers and consumer fireworks may only be ignited on private property during the legal window of 9 p.m. on December 31 through 1 a.m. on January 1. Discharge on public property (streets, sidewalks, parks, beaches) is prohibited, as is removing or extracting powder or pyrotechnic contents from any device. All aerial luminaries (flying lanterns / sky lanterns) are banned statewide under HRS 132-19. Aerial display fireworks may only be ignited by a state-licensed pyrotechnic operator with a county Aerial Display Permit, plan review by the Fire Prevention Bureau, and proof of insurance under HRS Chapter 132D and NFPA 1. Hawaii's 2025 fireworks reforms, signed by Governor Josh Green on June 30, 2025, include Act 243 (HB 1483), which restructured criminal penalties, elevated repeat offenses within 10 years, made parents, guardians, and property owners accountable for fireworks violations by minors or persons on their property, and added fireworks infractions to the existing adjudication system used for traffic and emergency-period infractions; and Act 244 (HB 550), which authorizes the state Department of Law Enforcement and each county (including KFD support agencies) to operate unmanned aerial vehicles over public property to establish probable cause for fireworks-related arrests.