Saint Paul, MN Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Sales season
- June 25 through July 5 only
- Distance from residential property
- 100 feet minimum
- Distance from fuel dispensers
- 50 feet minimum
- No-smoking perimeter
- 50 feet, must be physically marked
- Distance between structures
- 20 feet from any other structure
Summary
Saint Paul only allows temporary consumer fireworks sales structures for eleven days a year, June 25 through July 5, and only after a city permit, at least 100 feet from residential property, 20 feet from any other structure, and 50 feet from a fuel dispenser, with a marked 50-foot no-smoking zone around the stand.
The use shall obtain all necessary permits from the city. Permits for outdoor sale of consumer fireworks shall be valid from June 25 to July 5 each year, during the Independence Day holiday season.(c)All items offered for sale shall be kept within the sales structure. The sales structure shall be located at least twenty (20) feet from any other structure.(d)The sales structure shall be located at least one hundred (100) feet from the closest property line of any property used or zoned for residential use (excluding mixed commercial-residential uses).(e)An outdoor no-smoking area of fifty (50) feet surrounding the perimeter of the structure shall be maintained on the property. The fifty-foot non-smoking area must be physically marked. No portion of any public sidewalk, boulevard right-of-way, public street, or alley may fall inside the perimeter.(f)The structure shall not be located within fifty (50) feet of a motor vehicle fuel dispenser.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 133 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 20(c), and layers its own restrictions on top of the general outdoor commercial use standards of Sec. 525. A seller must obtain all necessary city permits, and those permits are valid only from June 25 through July 5 each year, tying legal sales to the Independence Day season and closing the rest of the year to this temporary use. The temporary sales structure itself must sit at least twenty feet from any other structure and at least one hundred feet from the closest property line of any residentially used or zoned property, excluding mixed commercial-residential parcels.
A physically marked, fifty-foot no-smoking zone must surround the structure's perimeter, and no part of a public sidewalk, boulevard, street, or alley may fall inside that marked zone. The structure also cannot sit within fifty feet of a motor vehicle fuel dispenser, guarding against ignition near a gas pump. When the stand is closed for the day, merchandise must be secured or removed from the site rather than left unattended overnight. Because Sec. 526(a) incorporates Sec. 525 by reference, a fireworks sales operation covering more than the outdoor-use size threshold also needs the conditional use permit and site plan review that section requires.
Violations & Fines
Selling consumer fireworks from a temporary structure outside the June 25-July 5 window, or without the required city permit, is a zoning and licensing violation. Placing the structure closer than the mandated 20-, 50-, or 100-foot separations, failing to mark the 50-foot no-smoking perimeter, or leaving merchandise unsecured when the stand is closed can each draw a correction order or permit revocation from the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can consumer fireworks be sold in Saint Paul?
How far must a fireworks stand be from homes in Saint Paul?
Is smoking allowed near a Saint Paul fireworks stand?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Saint Paul
How Saint Paul compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Saint Paul to another location·View the Minnesota fire regulations overview
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