Puyallup, WA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Sale window
- Noon June 28 to 9 p.m. July 4
- Discharge window
- Noon to 11 p.m. on July 4 only
- Minimum sale age
- 16 years
- Stand spacing
- 600 feet from another stand
- Maximum penalty
- 90 days jail or $1,000 fine
- Permit issuer
- Fire chief or designee
Summary
Puyallup allows common fireworks sales only from noon June 28 through 9 p.m. July 4, and discharge only from noon to 11 p.m. on July 4 itself. Selling or setting them off outside that window is a misdemeanor enforced by the fire chief.
No common fireworks shall be sold or offered for sale at retail within the city except from 12:00 noon on the twenty-eighth day of June to 9:00 p.m. on the fourth day of July of each year. No common fireworks may be sold between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. ... It is unlawful for a person to ignite, discharge, use or explode any common fireworks except between the hours of 12:00 noon and 11:00 p.m. on July 4th. ... Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person violating any provision of this chapter or any permit issued pursuant to this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a maximum term fixed by the court of not more than 90 days, or by a fine in an amount fixed by the court of not more than $1,000, or by both such imprisonment and fine.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4985225; v6 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 16.20 PMC adopts most of RCW 70.77 by reference and layers city-specific permit and timing rules on top. Retailers need a state license plus a city permit from the fire chief or designee, applied for in writing by June 15th for that year's sales window (PMC § 16.20.090). Retail fireworks stands must clear inspection first and follow siting rules: no stand within 25 feet of another building or 50 feet of a gas or LPG dispenser, none closer than 600 feet to another stand, two exits, two 2A-20BC extinguishers, no smoking within 25 feet, and no overnight sleeping or heating appliances inside (PMC § 16.20.100).
Every stand must post a sign stating no sales to anyone under 16 and that discharge is allowed only 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on July 4 (PMC § 16.20.100(13)), though the operative discharge window in § 16.20.110(3) is narrower, noon to 11:00 p.m. on July 4. Sales are barred outside noon June 28 to 9:00 p.m. July 4, and never between 11:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Discharge on another person's property without permission, in a park without a park commissioners' permit, or on non-park city property without council permission is separately unlawful (§ 16.20.110(4)).
The city manager may recommend a citywide emergency ban on consumer fireworks when Pierce County's fire danger reaches very high or extreme (§ 16.20.155). Religious and private organizations can get special-use permits for other dates (§ 16.20.120), and public displays need a separate permit filed at least 10 days ahead, run by an approved pyrotechnic operator (§ 16.20.130).
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 16.20 or a permit issued under it is a misdemeanor: up to 90 days in jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both, under PMC § 16.20.160, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense. The fire chief can also revoke a fireworks permit for any violation of the chapter or RCW 70.77 (§ 16.20.150), and illegal fireworks may be confiscated and destroyed under an agreement with the city in lieu of formal seizure (§ 16.20.140).
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I buy fireworks any time of year in Puyallup?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Puyallup
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Fireworks in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle fireworks.