York County, SC Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Bottle rockets
- Illegal to sell or use statewide
- Minimum sale age
- 16 (§ 40-56-220(D))
- County park/landing rule
- Fireworks possession banned
- Seasonal stand duration
- 30 days, up to 3x/year
- Seasonal stand districts
- RI, LI, ID zoning only
- Retailer liability insurance
- $1 million minimum coverage
Summary
South Carolina bars retail sale or use of small bottle rockets statewide and forbids selling any fireworks to anyone under sixteen, rules that apply the same in unincorporated York County as everywhere else. The county layers its own restrictions on top: fireworks are banned at every public park and boat landing, and a seasonal fireworks stand can only run in the Rural Industrial, Light Industrial or Industrial Development zoning districts.
SECTION 40-56-220. Facilities must comply with regulations; consumer fireworks must comply with federal standards; small bottle rocket sale and use not legal; no sale of fireworks to anyone under sixteen.
(A) All facilities for the manufacturing, sales, or storage of fireworks must comply with regulations established by the board.
(B) All consumer fireworks must comply with standards set by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the CPSC for consumer fireworks. The board may request fireworks be tested by a CPSC certified testing group to see that these standards are met.
(C) Retail sale and use of small bottle rockets are not legal within South Carolina.
(D) Fireworks may not be sold to anyone under the age of sixteen.
Full Breakdown
C. S. Department of Transportation and Consumer Product Safety Commission standards, with the board able to require CPSC testing. Subsection (C) makes retail sale and use of small bottle rockets illegal statewide, and subsection (D) bars selling fireworks to anyone under sixteen. Retail sellers must also carry public liability insurance, at least $1 million per occurrence, as a licensing condition under § 40-56-230. York County adds its own restrictions on top of the state law. 01(E) of the county code bans possession of "firearms, except as otherwise allowed by law: air guns, paintball guns, explosives, or fireworks" at any public boat landing or park open to the general public, meaning fireworks are barred at county recreation sites regardless of the statewide sale rules.
718-1's temporary use table lists "Seasonal Sales - Fireworks" as requiring zoning compliance approval, limited to 30 consecutive days per occurrence with up to three occurrences per calendar year, and permitted only in the Rural Industrial, Light Industrial and Industrial Development zoning districts, a narrower set of districts than the county allows for general roadside produce stands.
Violations & Fines
Selling fireworks to a minor or selling or using small bottle rockets violates § 40-56-220 and can bring administrative citations and penalties up to $2,500 per violation from the State Board of Pyrotechnic Safety under § 40-56-250, appealable to the board within fifteen days of the citation. Possessing or discharging fireworks at a York County park or boat landing violates § 90.01(E); under § 90.99, that penalty defaults to the county's general § 10.99 penalty of up to $500 or 30 days in jail per day of violation. Running a seasonal fireworks stand without the required zoning compliance approval or outside an RI, LI or ID district is an unlawful temporary use subject to the same general penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy or use bottle rockets in York County?
Can fireworks be sold to teenagers?
Can I set off fireworks at a county park or boat landing?
Where can a seasonal fireworks stand legally operate in the county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
How York County compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina fire regulations overview
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