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Rohnert Park, CA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Public possession/use
totally banned, permit exceptions only
Dangerous-fireworks fine
$1,000/occurrence + $250 late charge
Safe-and-sane fine
$250-$750, escalating over 3 offenses/12 mo.
Minors
custodian strictly liable for their fireworks use
Social hosts
liable for fireworks at hosted gatherings
Enforced by
fire code official under Chapter 1.25

Summary

All fireworks, dangerous and "safe and sane" alike, are banned for public possession, storage, sale, or use in Rohnert Park except under an advance permit from the fire code official, per RPMC § 9.49.040. Dangerous-fireworks violations draw a thousand-dollar administrative fine; safe-and-sane violations escalate from $250 to $750 per repeat offense.

9.49.040 - Prohibition on possession, storage, sale or use of fireworks. The possession, storage, sale and use of any dangerous or safe and sane fireworks, shall be prohibited by any person throughout the City of Rohnert Park except when a permit is issued, in advance, by the fire code official or his or her designee for the exceptions below: ... The prohibition on the possession of fireworks in this section shall not apply to manufacturing and transportation activities permitted under Section 9.49.030. ... 9.49.080 - Determining violations; penalties for violations. ... Each person who violates any provisions of this chapter by possessing, using, storing, and/or selling, displaying of any dangerous firework, or violates Sections 9.49.050 or 9.49.060 and such violation involves dangerous fireworks, shall be subject to the imposition and payment of an administrative fine of one thousand dollars per occurrence, a late charge of two hundred fifty dollars if the fine is not timely paid in accordance with chapter 1.25.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

49, rewritten by Ordinance No. 954 in 2021 and upheld by voters in a September 2021 referendum, prohibits "the possession, storage, sale and use of any dangerous or safe and sane fireworks" throughout the city, with only two narrow permit exceptions: storage and handling under California Fire Code § 5605, and pyrotechnic displays under Fire Code § 5608, both requiring advance approval from the fire code official. 030 absent a state fire marshal permit. 050 makes it unlawful for anyone with custody of a minor to let that minor discharge fireworks, and imposes strict liability on the custodian for any unlawful ignition.

060 extends liability to "social hosts," meaning a property owner, lessee, or event organizer, who suffer or permit fireworks use on their property or at a gathering they host, with an affirmative defense if the host had leased the property to someone else, was not present, and had no prior knowledge. 25, with the fire code official or a designee issuing citations.

Violations & Fines

Dangerous-fireworks violations, capped at twenty-five pounds gross weight for administrative enforcement purposes, draw a one-thousand-dollar fine per occurrence plus a two-hundred-fifty-dollar late charge if unpaid, under § 9.49.080. Safe-and-sane fireworks violations escalate over a rolling twelve months: a first offense is $250 plus a $75 late charge, a second is $500 plus $150, and a third is $750 plus $300. Violators also owe the state fire marshal's cost of transporting and disposing of seized fireworks, separate from any criminal penalty available under state law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are 'safe and sane' fireworks legal in Rohnert Park?
No. Section 9.49.040 bans the possession, storage, sale, and use of both dangerous and "safe and sane" fireworks throughout the city, with narrow exceptions only for permitted storage or professional pyrotechnic displays approved by the fire code official.
What's the fine for setting off fireworks in Rohnert Park?
A safe-and-sane fireworks violation starts at $250 plus a $75 late charge for a first offense in a twelve-month period, rising to $500 and then $750 for repeat offenses. Dangerous fireworks carry a flat $1,000 fine per occurrence plus a $250 late charge, under § 9.49.080.
Can I be held liable if fireworks go off at a party I'm hosting?
Yes, unless you qualify for the narrow defense in § 9.49.060: you had leased the property to someone else, were not present, and had no prior knowledge of the violation. Otherwise, social hosts are liable for fireworks used at gatherings they organize or on property they control.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Rohnert Park

All Rohnert Park rules

How Rohnert Park compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·California rules heatmap·Compare Rohnert Park to another location·View the California fire regulations overview

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