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Santa Fe, NM Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

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

Key Facts

Retailer permit fee
$50 per year
Wholesaler permit fee
$100-$500 per year
Possession window
June 10 - July 15
Sale/display window
June 20 - July 5
Max legal height
Under 15 feet, no report
Minimum buyer age
16, or with parent
Penalty
Up to $500 fine, 90 days jail

Summary

Santa Fe bans manufacturing, selling, possessing or discharging any fireworks without a permit. Retailers may sell only 'safe and sane' fireworks (no report, under 15 feet in height) under a fire department permit, and only buyers 16 or older may possess them. Violators face a misdemeanor: up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine, with each day a separate offense.

Except as hereinafter provided it shall be unlawful to manufacture, sell, offer to sell, own, possess or discharge any fireworks within the city. [...] Any individual, firm, partnership, or other entity found in violation of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment for up to ninety (90) days or a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00), or both. Each and every occasion on which this section is violated shall be considered a separate offense.

View official code

Full Breakdown

2 SFCC 1987 makes it unlawful to manufacture, sell, offer to sell, own, possess or discharge fireworks anywhere in the city except as the section allows. 1; 'safe and sane fireworks' are the enumerated exceptions, capped by pyrotechnic weight (snakes 20 grams, sparklers 100 grams, wheels 60 grams per driver, cylindrical fountains 75 grams). 5: retailers pay $50, wholesalers pay $100, and wholesalers/jobbers selling dangerous fireworks for out-of-state shipment pay $500 a year. A permit holder may possess safe-and-sane fireworks only from June 10 through July 15 and may sell or display them only from June 20 through July 5 each year. 6 bars selling or giving fireworks to anyone under 16 unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. 1 NMSA 1978. 3.

Violations & Fines

Any violation of Section 12-3.9 is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days' imprisonment, a fine up to $500, or both, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate offense. The fire department may seize and remove, at the owner's expense, any dangerous fireworks stocked, offered, exposed for sale, or held in violation of Section 12-3.8. Selling to a minor under 12-3.6 is likewise unlawful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set off fireworks at home in Santa Fe?
No. Section 12-3.2 SFCC 1987 makes it unlawful to possess or discharge any fireworks in the city, including 'safe and sane' types, outside the licensed retail sale itself; the section carves out no exemption for private backyard discharge.
What counts as a 'safe and sane' firework in Santa Fe?
Section 12-3.1 defines it as any firework with no report, that isn't self-propelling, and whose effect doesn't rise above fifteen feet, such as snakes, sparklers, cylindrical fountains and illuminating torches, each capped at a specific pyrotechnic weight in grams.
Are fireworks ever banned entirely in Santa Fe?
Yes. Section 12-3.9 prohibits the sale and use of aerial devices and audible ground devices like firecrackers during extreme or severe drought, based on National Weather Service drought indices, and bans all fireworks on any land covered by timber, brush or native grass.
What happens if I sell fireworks without a city permit?
You're subject to Section 12-3.9's penalty: a misdemeanor charge carrying up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both, and the fire department can seize your entire stock of fireworks under Section 12-3.8.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Santa Fe

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All Santa Fe rules

How Santa Fe compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Santa Fe to another location·View the New Mexico fire regulations overview

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