Memphis, TN Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Display permit fee
- $25.00 plus standby firefighter cost
- Explosives use/handle/store permit
- $50.00
- Late application (<48 hrs)
- +$25.00 fee
- Display held before permit approval
- Fee doubles
- Extra inspections
- $25.00 per man-hour
- Issuing agency
- Memphis Fire Prevention Bureau
- Underlying code
- 2021 IFC Ch. 56, no local amendment
Summary
Memphis requires a Fire Prevention Bureau permit for any fireworks, pyrotechnic, or flame-effect display, charging $25 plus standby-firefighter cost, and doubles that fee if the display goes ahead before the permit is approved.
E.Miscellaneous permits and fees. Fireworks, pyrotechnic, or flame effect display (Standby firefighter requires additional cost) $25.00 ... Use, handle or store explosives $50.00 ... Sec. 9-40-5. - Penalties. A.Additional inspections required in connection with the permit approval, after the first two inspections, shall be billed at a rate of $25.00 per man hour. B.For applications submitted less than 48 hours in advance of date permit is needed, include additional $25.00 fee. C.Failure to obtain permit approval prior to installation and/or construction shall result in double permit fees.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32 | Charter: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 9-40 of the Memphis Code, "Fire Prevention Inspections, Charges and Permits," establishes fees, charges and permits collected by the fire prevention bureau to fund inspection and anti-neglect administration (Sec. 9-40-2, 9-40-3). Sec. " These city fees sit on top of the underlying fire-safety standard: the International Fire Code, 2021 Edition, is adopted as the city's Fire Prevention Code under Sec. 9-36-1, and its Chapter 56, "Explosives and Fireworks," carries no local amendments, meaning Memphis enforces the model code's explosives and fireworks provisions directly rather than layering its own substantive display rules on top.
Sec. 00 fee, and failing to obtain permit approval before installation or construction, which for a display means holding the event before the permit is issued, doubles the permit fee owed. All fees collected under Chapter 9-40 are billed by the fire prevention bureau on behalf of the city, and General Penalty provisions in Sec. 00 penalty once a fine is imposed.
Violations & Fines
Holding a fireworks, pyrotechnic, or flame-effect display without an approved Fire Prevention Bureau permit doubles the required fee under Sec. 9-40-5(C), and violations of the fire prevention chapters carry a minimum $200.00 penalty under the citywide general penalty schedule, Sec. 1-24-1(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a fireworks display in Memphis?
How much does the Memphis fireworks display permit cost?
What happens if I hold a display without getting the permit first?
Does Memphis have its own fireworks safety rules beyond the fee?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Memphis
How Memphis compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Memphis to another location·View the Tennessee fire regulations overview
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