Kingsport, TN Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Civil penalty
- Up to $50.00 for each offense, each occurrence separate
- Permit authority
- Fire chief acting with the fire marshal (Sec. 42-113)
- Classes covered
- 1.4G (formerly Class C) and 1.3G (formerly Class B)
- Display standard
- NFPA 1123, 2000 edition, or later state-adopted edition
- Permit prerequisite
- Proof of financial responsibility in the amount the fire chief sets
- Wholesale carve-out
- Shipped directly out of the city limits (Sec. 42-115)
Summary
In the City of Kingsport, Tennessee, it is unlawful to manufacture, use, discharge, or sell fireworks, including 1.4G consumer fireworks and 1.3G display fireworks. The one exception is a permit issued by the fire chief acting with the fire marshal. A violator pays a civil penalty of up to $50.00 for each offense.
Any person violating this division shall be guilty of an offense and, upon conviction, shall pay a civil penalty of up to $50.00 for each offense. Each occurrence shall constitute a separate offense. ... (a)For the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the citizens and residents of the city, it is unlawful for any person to manufacture, use, discharge, possess with the intent to discharge, or offer for sale, expose for sale, sell at retail or keep with intent to sell at retail, fireworks in the city, except as authorized in section 42-113.(b)There is a rebuttable presumption that a person possesses fireworks with the intent to discharge such fireworks if possession is:(1)In a public place or outside a fully enclosed residential or commercial building, and fireworks have recently been discharged or reported discharged in the general vicinity of such possession; or(2)In a public park or on public school property.
Full Breakdown
Division 2 of Chapter 42 in the Kingsport Code of Ordinances, enacted by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen as Ord. No. 6102 on 8-2-2011, sets a citywide prohibition on fireworks. Section 42-110 defines fireworks as any composition or device designed or intended to produce a visible or an audible effect by combustion, deflagration, or detonation. The definition names two federal classes: 1.4G Fireworks (formerly Class C, Common Fireworks) and 1.3G Fireworks (formerly Class B, Special Fireworks), as classified by the United States Department of Transportation.
Section 42-112(a) makes it unlawful for any person to manufacture, use, discharge, possess with the intent to discharge, or offer for sale, expose for sale, sell at retail, or keep with intent to sell at retail, fireworks in the city. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen states the purpose as the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the citizens and residents of the city. Subsection (b) adds a rebuttable presumption that a person holds fireworks with intent to discharge them in two situations: possession in a public place or outside a fully enclosed residential or commercial building when fireworks have recently been discharged or reported discharged in the general vicinity, and possession in a public park or on public school property.
The exception sits in Section 42-113. The fire chief, acting in conjunction with the fire marshal, can issue a permit for the manufacturing, transportation, or storage of fireworks in accordance with applicable state laws and fire codes. A separate permit can cover the handling, supervised use or display of fireworks under conditions approved by the fire marshal and NFPA 1123, Code for Fireworks Display, 2000 edition, or any subsequent edition adopted by the state fire marshal by rule. A permitted display must be located, discharged, or fired so as not to be hazardous to property or endanger any person, and it must be handled by a competent operator licensed by the state and approved by the fire chief. Before a handling, use or display permit issues, the applicant must furnish proof of financial responsibility for property damage and personal injury claims, in the amount, character and form the fire chief determines is necessary for the protection of the public.
Section 42-114 lets the Board of Mayor and Aldermen further restrict the storage or discharge of fireworks from time to time at its discretion. Section 42-115 protects wholesalers, dealers and jobbers who sell at wholesale, as long as the fireworks are shipped directly out of the corporate limits of the city under United States Department of Transportation rules for transporting explosives and other dangerous articles by motor, rail and water. A footnote to the division points to T.C.A. § 68-104-101 et seq. for the state fireworks law.
Violations & Fines
Section 42-111 makes any person violating the division guilty of an offense who, upon conviction, pays a civil penalty of up to $50.00 for each offense. Each occurrence is a separate offense. Paying the civil penalty does not stop the City of Kingsport from taking any other legal action needed to enforce the division, including injunctive relief in the state courts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set off fireworks at home in the City of Kingsport?
What is the penalty for fireworks in Kingsport?
Is merely possessing fireworks a violation?
Who approves a fireworks display permit in Kingsport?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kingsport
How Kingsport compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Kingsport to another location·View the Tennessee fire regulations overview
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