Kauai County, HI Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Firecracker limit
- 50 mg pyrotechnic content
- Sparkler limit
- 100 g total weight
- License issuer
- County Director of Finance
- Illegal sale fine
- $250 minimum, petty misdemeanor
- License ban after conviction
- 5 years
- Bamboo cannon min age
- 18 years old
- Ag bird-control permit term
- up to 1 year
Summary
On Kaua'i (Kaua'i County), County Code Article 3 bans possessing, selling, storing or exploding fireworks without a County license or permit. Households may buy only firecrackers capped at 50 milligrams of pyrotechnic content and sparklers under 100 grams each. Anyone convicted of illegally selling fireworks faces a $250 minimum petty misdemeanor fine and loses their license for five years.
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess, store, sell, keep or offer for sale, expose for sale, use, explode or cause to explode any fireworks within the County, except as follows: ... (c) Use for a public display by a non-household commercial or institutional applicant having obtained a permit therefor in accordance with Section 22-3.5. ... § 22-3.13. Penalty. ... Any person violating any provision of this Article shall be guilty of a violation; except for persons convicted for illegally selling fireworks pursuant to Section 22-3.4, 22-3.8, or 22-3.10, shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor and fined a minimum of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00). Additionally, the court shall revoke any existing license from persons convicted of illegally selling fireworks.
Full Breakdown
The Kaua'i County Council regulates fireworks under Kaua'i County Code Article 3, Chapter 22 (Ord. No. 640, 1993), subject to partial state preemption under Hawai'i Revised Statutes Chapter 132D. Section 22-3.3 makes it unlawful to possess, store, sell, use or explode fireworks except through specific licensed or permitted channels: a storage-and-sale license from the Director of Finance under Section 22-3.4, a public-display permit for non-household commercial or institutional applicants under Section 22-3.5, or a religious or ceremonial-use permit under Section 22-3.6. Farmers may apply in writing to the Chief of Police for a permit to fire noise-making fireworks that ward predatory birds off crops; the Chief issues a non-transferable permit valid up to one year.
The Article also licenses the Filipino "bamboo cannon" tradition: only non-household commercial or institutional applicants may use one for celebrations, the permittee must be at least 18 years old, no bystander may stand within 50 feet of the device while it fires, and the cannon itself cannot exceed 8 feet in length or 8 inches in diameter and must be bound by wire in four places. A sales license requires a Fire Department letter approving the storage and sales location for fire safety, and the license must stay posted for public view at the sale site.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Article 3 is a violation under Section 22-3.13. Anyone convicted of illegally selling fireworks under Sections 22-3.4, 22-3.8 or 22-3.10 is instead guilty of a petty misdemeanor and fined at least $250, and the court must revoke any fireworks license the person holds. No revoked or convicted person may receive a new license for five years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set off fireworks at my Kaua'i home?
What small fireworks can households legally buy on Kaua'i?
What is the penalty for selling fireworks illegally on Kaua'i?
Can farmers use fireworks to scare birds off crops?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kauai County
How Kauai County compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Kauai County to another location·View the Hawaii fire regulations overview
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