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Thurston County, WA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

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

Key Facts

Legal discharge window
9 a.m.-11 p.m., July 3 and July 4
Holiday sale/use ban
Dec. 27 through 1 a.m. Jan. 1
General permit fee
$10 per permit
Retail sale permit fee
$5
Application lead time
10 days before issuance
Emergency ban authority
County manager, high fire danger

Summary

Thurston County restricts consumer fireworks to two dates a year: discharge is legal only from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 3 and again from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4, under County Code Section 6.68.055. The county also bans sale, purchase, possession, and use of consumer fireworks from December 27 through 1 a.m. January 1 annually, a stricter rule than state law allows.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Thurston County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

The discharge of consumer fireworks, as defined in RCW 70.77.136, within the county each year is restricted to nine a.m. to eleven p.m. on July 3rd and nine a.m. to eleven p.m. on July 4th. No person shall discharge any consumer fireworks except within the times and dates set forth above. Further, pursuant to RCW 70.77.395, as amended by Second Substitute Senate Bill 6080 in 2002, Thurston County prohibits the sale, purchase, possession, or use of consumer fireworks on December 27, 2002 through 1:00 a.m. on January 1, 2003 and thereafter on the same period each year. The more restrictive provisions of this section shall prevail over RCW 70.77.395.

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 77).

Full Breakdown

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Violations & Fines

Discharging, selling, or possessing consumer fireworks outside the July 3-4 window, or during the December 27-January 1 shutout period, violates Section 6.68.055. Operating without the underlying county permit required by Section 6.68.010, for manufacture, wholesale or retail sale, public display, or transport, is a separate violation of that section. The county manager's emergency discharge ban under Section 6.68.057, issued during extreme fire danger, carries the same enforcement weight as the standing calendar restriction once in effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set off consumer fireworks on July 4th in Thurston County?
Yes, but only between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on July 4th, and the same hours apply on July 3rd, per Thurston County Code Section 6.68.055. Discharging consumer fireworks outside those two days and hours violates the code regardless of whether the fireworks themselves are legal to purchase under state law.
Is there a New Year's fireworks ban in Thurston County?
Yes. Section 6.68.055 bans the sale, purchase, possession, or use of consumer fireworks from December 27 through 1 a.m. on January 1 every year. The county ordinance states this restriction is stricter than, and overrides, the more permissive statewide window set in RCW 70.77.395.
Do I need a permit to sell fireworks in Thurston County?
Yes. Section 6.68.010 requires a permit to manufacture, import, export, possess, or sell fireworks at wholesale or retail. Applications go to the county auditor's office at least ten days ahead of the needed date, and the fee is five dollars for a retail sales permit or ten dollars for other permit types under Section 6.68.020.
Can the county ban fireworks discharge during fire danger?
Yes. Under Section 6.68.057, the county manager may prohibit discharging consumer fireworks during periods of extreme fire danger after consulting the fire marshal or other appropriate officials. That prohibition takes effect starting one day before consumer fireworks may legally go on sale under Chapter 70.77 RCW.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Thurston County

Propane StorageSome RestrictionsSmoke DetectorsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Cat RulesSome Restrictions

All Thurston County rules

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

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