Tracy, CA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Discharge window
- Noon June 28 to midnight July 4
- Citation amount
- $1,000 per violation
- Sales stand distance
- 25 ft from buildings, 100 ft from gas pumps
- Permit cap
- 1 permit per 10,000 residents
- Dangerous fireworks
- Illegal at all times, misdemeanor
- Enforcing agency
- Tracy Fire Department and police
Summary
Tracy prohibits fireworks everywhere in the city except state-licensed 'safe and sane' fireworks, which permitted nonprofits sell and residents discharge only June 28 through July 4, under Tracy Municipal Code § 3.04.020 and § 3.04.040. Dangerous fireworks stay a misdemeanor citywide, and the Fire Department issues $1,000 administrative citations per violation.
The sale, use, possession or discharge of any fireworks or pyrotechnic devices, including, but not limited to, "safe and sane" fireworks, anywhere within the incorporated area of the City of Tracy is prohibited unless otherwise allowed by this chapter. ... Subject to the permitting provisions of this chapter, the California Fire Code, the provisions of the State Fireworks Law, Sections 12500 through 12726 of the Health and Safety Code of the State of California and any regulations promulgated thereunder, safe and sane fireworks may be discharged within the City limits of the City of Tracy during the period from noon and ending at 10:00 p.m. on the twenty-eighth day of June through the third day of July and from noon to midnight on the fourth of July, each year. It is unlawful and shall be a misdemeanor to possess, sell or discharge dangerous fireworks within the City of Tracy.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 69).
Full Breakdown
Tracy Municipal Code Chapter 3.04, enacted by Ordinance No. 1383 on March 17, 2026, bans the sale, possession, use, or discharge of any fireworks anywhere in the city unless the chapter allows it. The only lawful category is 'safe and sane' fireworks as classified under the California Health and Safety Code; 'dangerous fireworks' remain illegal at all times, and possessing, selling, or discharging them is a misdemeanor under § 3.04.040(b). Safe and sane fireworks can be sold only by lottery-selected nonprofit organizations holding an operational fire permit and a temporary use permit from the City Manager, per §§ 3.04.050 and 3.04.060; the city caps permits at one per 10,000 residents, and lottery applications run from November 1 through the first Thursday in December each year under § 3.04.070.
Sales stands are limited to 24 or 32 feet in length, must sit at least 25 feet from any building and 100 feet from any gas pump, and must be cleared from the site by July 9 under § 3.04.100. Discharge of safe and sane fireworks is confined to noon-10:00 p.m. June 28 through July 3 and noon to midnight on July 4, and is barred within 10 feet of any residential structure under § 3.04.110(b). Violators face a $1,000 administrative citation per offense under § 3.04.140(a)(1), and the city can recover response costs starting with a second violation.
Enforcement falls to any city employee or public safety officer, including the Tracy Fire Department, under § 3.04.160; unpermitted discharges are also treated as a public nuisance subject to summary abatement under § 3.04.150.
Violations & Fines
A first offense draws a $1,000 administrative citation under § 3.04.140(a)(1); dangerous fireworks violations can also be charged as a misdemeanor. A second citation or written notice exposes the responsible party, and any minor's parent or guardian, to joint and several liability for the Fire Department's response costs under § 3.04.140(d). Unpermitted discharges qualify as a public nuisance that police or fire personnel can abate immediately under § 3.04.150.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set off fireworks in Tracy on the Fourth of July?
What happens if I get caught with illegal fireworks in Tracy?
How do nonprofits get a permit to sell fireworks in Tracy?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tracy
How Tracy compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·California rules heatmap·Compare Tracy to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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Fireworks in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Joaquin County handle fireworks.