All fireworks, including so-called safe and sane, are banned in unincorporated Contra Costa County. Possession, sale, or discharge carries criminal penalties and cost-recovery fines of up to $1,000 per device plus billing for fire response. Only permitted public displays by licensed pyrotechnicians are allowed.
Contra Costa County Ordinance Code Chapter 44-2 and the ConFire fire code amendments prohibit the sale, possession, use, storage, or discharge of any fireworks in the unincorporated area, including 'safe and sane' items that are legal in some Contra Costa cities such as Pittsburg, Brentwood, and Antioch. Dangerous fireworks (bottle rockets, firecrackers, Roman candles, mortars, M-80s) are felonies under California Health and Safety Code 12677 and 12700 and are banned statewide. ConFire and the Sheriff's Office run zero-tolerance enforcement every year around the July 4 holiday, including a cost-recovery ordinance (adopted in 2019) that allows the fire district to bill violators up to $1,000 per illegal firework plus the actual cost of fire suppression if a response is triggered. Drones and camera evidence may be used to cite property owners even when the person lighting the firework is not identified. Licensed public displays require a State Fire Marshal pyrotechnic operator license and a ConFire permit, plus an approved site plan with crowd-control and fallout zones.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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See how Contra Costa County's fireworks rules stack up against other locations.
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