Orange, CA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Legal fireworks
- Only State Fire Marshal-sealed safe and sane fireworks
- Sale window
- Noon-10 p.m. July 1-3; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. July 4
- Discharge window
- Only July 4th, noon to 10:00 p.m.
- Structure buffer
- 10 feet from any residence or structure
- Stand buffer
- 300 feet from any fireworks stand
- Zoning ban
- Barred in commercial and industrial districts
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Orange allows only State Fire Marshal-approved 'safe and sane' fireworks, and only for four days a year. Municipal Code Section 8.13.040 bans all other fireworks outright, while Section 8.13.050 confines safe and sane fireworks to licensed stands and strict discharge windows, distance buffers, and zoning limits enforced by the Fire Department.
Except as provided in this chapter, no person shall possess, sell, use, display, or discharge any fireworks, including, but not limited to, any dangerous fireworks, altered safe and sane fireworks, or other combustible device or explosive substance or any kind of fireworks by another name. ... It shall be unlawful to possess, sell, display or discharge within the City those fireworks that are defined and classified as safe and sane fireworks except as provided in this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796775; v10 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 8.13 of the Orange Municipal Code, rewritten by Ordinance 01-25 effective January 28, 2025, makes it unlawful under Section 8.13.040 for any person to possess, sell, use, display, or discharge any fireworks, dangerous or otherwise, except as the chapter allows. Section 8.13.050 separately bans possessing, selling, displaying, or discharging any 'safe and sane' firework, the only class permitted in the City, except as authorized. Retail sales require a permit under Section 8.13.070, awarded to qualified nonprofit or school organizations through an annual lottery (Section 8.13.080), and sales may occur only between noon and 10:00 p.m. on July 1st through 3rd and between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on July 4th (Section 8.13.090(B)).
Discharge is confined to July 4th between noon and 10:00 p.m. (Section 8.13.130(B)). Fireworks cannot be ignited within 10 feet of any residence or structure or on another person's property without consent (8.13.130(C)), within 300 feet of a fireworks stand (8.13.130(E)), or within 100 feet of stored gasoline or other flammable liquid (8.13.130(F)). Section 8.13.130(D) bars any discharge on public property, streets, sidewalks, alleys or parks, and within the City's commercial or industrial zoning districts, and Section 8.13.130(A) further maps specific prohibited boundary areas east of Hewes Street and around Santiago Canyon Road, attached to the chapter as Exhibit A.
Retail stands must comply with NFPA 1124 and the California Fire Code (Section 8.13.110), no one under 18 may sell fireworks (Section 8.13.090(A), (C)), and unsold stock must leave City limits by 5:00 p.m. on July 5th (Section 8.13.090(F)).
Violations & Fines
Fireworks offenses are prosecuted under the City's general penalty, Section 1.08.010: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in County Jail, or both, with each day a separate offense. The Fire Chief may seize any fireworks stock held or sold in violation of the chapter (Section 8.13.140) and may revoke a stand permit immediately and without a hearing for any state, local, or federal law violation, barring the permittee from the lottery for two years (Section 8.13.120).
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of fireworks can I legally use in Orange?
When am I allowed to set off fireworks?
Where in the City is fireworks use banned outright?
What happens if I'm caught with illegal fireworks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange
How Orange compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·California rules heatmap·Compare Orange to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Fireworks in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle fireworks.