Shelby County, TN Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Default rule
- Sale/use of fireworks prohibited
- Public display
- Requires state fire marshal permit
- County permit desk
- None; state issues display permits
- Fine
- Up to $50 per violation (Sec. 1-4)
- Governing law
- Shelby County Code § 22-36, § 22-37
Summary
Shelby County bans the sale or use of fireworks outright except where state law authorizes it. A public fireworks display is legal only with a permit issued by the state fire marshal, not the county.
Sec. 22-36. - Sale or use prohibited. The sale or use of fireworks is prohibited, except as authorized by state law. (Code 1992, § 22-36; Priv. Acts 1961, ch. 405, § 1) State law reference(s)--Authorized fireworks, T.C.A. § 68-104-108. Sec. 22-37. - Public displays with permit. Nothing in this article shall restrict or prohibit public displays of fireworks when a permit has been issued by the state fire marshal in accordance with state law. (Code 1992, § 22-37; Priv. Acts 1961, ch. 405, § 2) State law reference(s)--Public display of fireworks, T.C.A. § 68-104-211.
Full Breakdown
Shelby County Code Sec. 22-36 makes the sale or use of fireworks unlawful countywide except as authorized by state law, a rule that traces back to Private Acts 1961, ch. § 68-104-108. That statute is what actually authorizes retail sale of state-approved consumer fireworks by licensed dealers; absent that state authorization, possession or discharge in unincorporated Shelby County is a code violation. Sec. § 68-104-211. That means the county itself does not run a fireworks-display permit desk; approval for a public show runs through the Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office, not the Shelby County Fire Prevention division.
Both sections sit in Chapter 22, Article III ("Fireworks"), immediately after Article II's adoption of the 2021 ICC Fire Code local amendments under Ordinance No. 531. No county-issued private-use permit exists in this chapter: the only lawful paths to fireworks activity in unincorporated Shelby County are (1) buying and using consumer fireworks that state law itself authorizes, or (2) staging a public display under a state fire marshal permit. Anyone setting off consumer-grade fireworks that state law does not separately authorize, or without an underlying state authorization, is violating Sec. 22-36 regardless of intent.
Violations & Fines
Violating Sec. 22-36's sale-or-use ban carries the county's general penalty under Sec. 1-4: a fine of up to $50.00 for each separate violation, set at the discretion of the general sessions court judge, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense. A fine does not block separate revocation of any related permit or license. Running an unpermitted public display adds exposure under the state fire marshal permit statute itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy consumer fireworks and set them off at home in unincorporated Shelby County?
Who approves a public fireworks show in Shelby County?
What happens if I violate the fireworks ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shelby County
How Shelby County compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Shelby County to another location·View the Tennessee fire regulations overview
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