Merced, CA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code Sec. 8.22.110
- Sale window
- Noon June 28 to noon July 6
- First-offense fine
- $1,000 minimum
- Minimum buyer age
- 16 years old
- Stand cap
- 1 per 2,500 residents
Summary
Merced bans dangerous fireworks outright and limits legal 'safe and sane' fireworks to a narrow window under Sec. 8.22.110: sales run only from noon June 28 to noon July 6, and stands must close by 5 p.m. July 8. Violators face administrative fines starting at $1,000 under Sec. 8.22.020(g), issued by the fire department.
It shall be unlawful to: (a)Obtain or use more than one (1) permit or to operate more than one (1) stand in the city per year;(b)Sell fireworks in the city earlier than noon on the twenty-eighth day of June or later than noon on the sixth day of July;(c)Use or explode any fireworks in the city earlier then noon on the twenty-eighth day of June or later than noon on the sixth day of July without a permit issued by the fire chief or designee for public displays of fireworks;(d)Sell fireworks to persons under the age of sixteen (16) years old;(e)Sell, assign, or in any way transfer a permit to operate a fireworks stand, or a place or position on the permit waiting list, to another organization, individual, or entity;(f)Use or explode any fireworks inside a building other than an outdoor stadium; or,(g)Fail to dismantle and remove any stand or structure of any nature where fireworks are sold or offered for sale no later than the eighth day of July at five p.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 - 1-26).
Full Breakdown
22, splits fireworks into three categories: dangerous fireworks (banned outright under state law), exempt fireworks (industrial, commercial, agricultural, or religious use under a state permit), and safe and sane fireworks, which only eligible nonprofit organizations can sell from a permitted stand. Sec. 110 spells out the core prohibitions: no one may sell safe and sane fireworks before noon on June 28 or after noon on July 6, use or explode any fireworks outside that window without a fire-chief permit for a public display, sell fireworks to anyone under sixteen, use fireworks inside any building other than an outdoor stadium, hold more than one stand permit per year, or transfer a stand permit to another organization.
on July 8. Sec. m. Sunday through Thursday, except July 3 and 4, when hours extend to midnight, matching Friday and Saturday hours. The city caps the total number of stands at one per 2,500 residents under Sec. 150, recalculated each May from the state's population figures. Sec. 020 layers on administrative fines separate from any criminal charge: not less than $1,000 for a first violation, $2,000 for a second within twelve months, and $3,000 for each subsequent violation, plus a $250 non-refundable fee to cover state fire marshal disposal costs for seized dangerous fireworks. Sec. 090 also makes any property owner or event host strictly liable for fireworks violations occurring on land they control.
Violations & Fines
Violating the ordinance is a misdemeanor under Sec. 8.22.140, carrying criminal prosecution on top of administrative fines of at least $1,000 for a first offense, $2,000 for a second within twelve months, and $3,000 for each later violation, per Sec. 8.22.020(g). The fire chief can seize any fireworks held, sold, or displayed illegally under Sec. 8.22.130, and a stand's permit can be revoked immediately for any violation of the chapter, city ordinances, or fire department safety rules under Sec. 8.22.120.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced
How Merced compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·California rules heatmap·Compare Merced to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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