Essex County, NJ Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

New Jersey regulates fireworks at the state level through the Explosives and Fireworks Act, codified at N.J.S.A. 21:3-1 et seq. N.J.S.A. 21:3-1 declares fireworks contrary to public health and safety, and N.J.S.A. 21:3-2 makes it unlawful to offer for sale, sell, possess, use, or explode fireworks except as permitted. Until 2017, NJ banned essentially all consumer fireworks, including sparklers. P.L. 2017 c. 92 amended the law to allow the sale, possession, and use of a narrow class of 'non-aerial, non-explosive' novelty items: hand-held and ground-based sparklers (wire or wood stick), party poppers, snappers, snakes, glow worms, smoke devices, and trick noisemakers. Buyers must be at least 16 years old. Aerial devices (bottle rockets, sky rockets, Roman candles, mortars, aerial repeaters/cakes), firecrackers, M-80s, and any device that explodes or shoots into the air remain illegal everywhere in New Jersey, including all 22 Essex County municipalities. Public fireworks displays — common on July 4 in Branch Brook Park (Newark/Belleville) and other Essex venues — require a permit issued by the local fire official or municipality under N.J.S.A. 21:3-3, must be conducted by a licensed pyrotechnician, and must comply with N.J.A.C. 5:70-3 (NJ Uniform Fire Code adoption of NFPA 1123/1126). Essex County itself does not issue display permits or regulate consumer use; enforcement is by municipal police, the Newark Division of Fire (or each town's fire official), and the NJ Division of Fire Safety.