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Skokie, IL Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

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

Key Facts

Possession/discharge
unlawful Village-wide without a permit
Sale to minors
barred for anyone under 18
Display permit fee
$10.00 (Sec. 46-39)
Permit review
Police Chief and Fire Chief inspect site
State law reference
425 ILCS 30 & 425 ILCS 35

Summary

Skokie bars anyone from possessing or discharging fireworks anywhere in the Village and from selling or giving fireworks to anyone under 18, but the Village Manager can issue a $10 permit for a public fireworks display or wildlife-control pyrotechnics after Police and Fire Department inspection.

The permit fee for a public display of fireworks pursuant to Section 70-214 is $10.00. ... It shall be unlawful for any person to ... be possessed of or to discharge anywhere in the Village any of the articles enumerated in Section 70-211. The Village Manager or designee may issue a permit for the discharge of fireworks or for pyrotechnical displays for wildlife control. ... whereupon the Village Manager or designee shall issue a permit upon payment of a fee as set forth in Section 46-39.

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 205 | Zoning: Supplement 89).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 70, Article V, Division 4 defines 'fireworks' broadly at Sec. 2 mg) of explosive content. Sec. 70-212 bars selling, keeping for sale, loaning or giving any fireworks, toy gun, toy cannon or blank cartridge to anyone under 18. Sec. 70-213 makes it unlawful to possess or discharge any listed fireworks anywhere in the Village, but the Village Manager or a designee can issue a permit for the discharge of fireworks or for pyrotechnical displays used for wildlife control. Sec. 00 under Sec. 46-39, and the permit fixes the exact kinds and quantities of fireworks that may be used.

Sec. 70-215 exempts wholesale sales by resident dealers, shipment of fireworks out of state, railroad signal or illumination use, and blank cartridges for theatrical, athletic, or military ceremonial purposes.

Violations & Fines

Unlawful possession, discharge, or sale of fireworks to a minor is cited under Sec. 70-213 or Sec. 70-212 and, because the fireworks division sets no separate fine, draws the Code's standard penalty at Sec. 1-6: up to $750.00 for each day the violation continues, on top of the display use of fireworks being separately declared a nuisance under Sec. 42-35(d)(5).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set off fireworks at home in Skokie?
No. Sec. 70-213 makes it unlawful to possess or discharge fireworks anywhere in the Village; only a permitted public display or wildlife-control pyrotechnic use, approved in advance by the Chief of Police and Fire Chief, is allowed.
How much does a Skokie fireworks display permit cost?
The permit fee is $10.00 under Sec. 46-39, paid for a permit issued under Sec. 70-214 after the Chief of Police and Fire Chief inspect the proposed display location and find it would not be hazardous to surrounding property or dangerous to any person.
Are sparklers legal to sell to a teenager in Skokie?
Not to anyone under 18. Sec. 70-212 bars selling, keeping for sale, loaning or giving any fireworks, including sparklers, toy guns, toy cannons or blank cartridges, to a person under 18 years old, and the definition of fireworks at Sec. 70-211 covers sparklers by name.
Does Skokie's fireworks ban apply to novelty items like paper caps?
No. Sec. 70-211 excludes auto flares and paper caps averaging no more than 0.25 grain (16.2 mg) of explosive content, along with the toy pistols, canes or guns made for those caps, from the definition of regulated fireworks, so their sale and use are permitted at all times.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Skokie

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How Skokie compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Skokie to another location·View the Illinois fire regulations overview

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