Washington, DC Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- Retail fireworks license fee
- $100 per year
- Wholesale fireworks license fee
- $760 per year
- Approval required to issue
- D.C. Fire Marshal
- License type
- Environmental Materials endorsement
- Governing law
- D.C. Code § 47-2814
Summary
Anyone who stores or sells fireworks in Washington, D.C. must hold a business license, with retail dealers paying $100 and wholesalers $760, and the Fire Marshal must approve every license before it issues.
(d) Owners or managers of establishments where fireworks are stored or are kept for sale at wholesale or at both wholesale and retail shall pay a license fee of $760. Owners or managers of establishments where fireworks are kept for sale at retail shall pay a license fee of $100. ... (f) No license shall be issued under this section without the approval of the Fire Marshal of the District of Columbia.
Full Breakdown
The District's licensing code, D.C. Code § 47-2814, sets separate license fees for fireworks dealers: $760 a year for anyone who stores fireworks or sells them wholesale (or both wholesale and retail), and $100 a year for retail-only sellers. Subsection (f) is the real gate, no license may be issued under this section without the approval of the District's Fire Marshal. The license is issued as an Environmental Materials endorsement to a basic business license. Selling fireworks without one, like other licensing violations under this chapter, is prosecuted under § 47-2846, which sets a fine up to the amount in § 22-3571.01 or up to 90 days in jail.
Violations & Fines
Selling or storing fireworks for sale without the required license, or without Fire Marshal approval, is prosecuted under § 47-2846: a fine up to the § 22-3571.01 amount, up to 90 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell fireworks in Washington, D.C. without a license?
How much does a D.C. fireworks dealer license cost?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington
How Washington compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Washington to another location·View the District of Columbia fire regulations overview
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