Manchester, NH Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Noise-exempt fireworks
- City-sponsored or city-approved only
- Governing section
- § 94.11(P), noise chapter
- Discharge at vehicles
- Banned citywide, § 70.27
- Exempt locations
- City property, parks, civic stadium
- Penalty
- Fine up to RSA 47:17 max, per day
Summary
Manchester's noise ordinance exempts only fireworks displays that are city-sponsored or approved by the city alongside a licensed event on city property, a park, or a civic stadium: any other display must meet standard decibel limits like other noise sources.
Any city-sponsored fireworks display or a fireworks display approved by the city in conjunction with a specific licensed event and emanating from city property, a public recreational area, or a civic stadium.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: current through Ord. passed 6-3-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 94 sets Manchester's noise limits and lists narrow exemptions from them in § 94.11. Subsection (P) carves out only fireworks the city itself puts on, or specifically approves in conjunction with a licensed event, occurring on city property, a public recreational area, or a civic stadium. A private or unapproved fireworks show gets no such pass and must stay under the Table A sound-pressure limits like any other noise source. Separately, § 70.27 bans throwing or discharging any firecracker, torpedo, or firework at, toward, from, or under a motor vehicle anywhere in the city.
Violations & Fines
General penalty under § 10.99: a fine up to the maximum allowed by R.S.A. 47:17, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set off my own fireworks display in Manchester?
Is throwing fireworks at a car illegal in Manchester?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manchester
How Manchester compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Manchester to another location·View the New Hampshire fire regulations overview
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Fireworks in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle fireworks.