Wellington, FL Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

Article IV of Chapter 13 states its intent in Sec. 13-13: to protect the health and safety of horses and other livestock quartered within the Equestrian Preserve Area (EPA) of Wellington from the adverse effects caused by the recreational use of fireworks. Sec. 13-14 then operates notwithstanding F.S. §§ 791.001 and 791.08, Florida's general fireworks statutes, meaning Wellington relies on specific legislative authority rather than a gap in state preemption to prohibit fireworks sale and use inside the EPA on all days of the year.

The EPA is the horse country that gives Wellington its equestrian-capital identity, including the areas around the Winter Equestrian Festival showgrounds and the International Polo Club, where unexpected loud reports can spook horses and cause injury to animals or riders. The only way around the ban is a special permit issued under the authority the Village cites from House Bill 979 (2021), the state legislation that let equestrian communities like Wellington restrict fireworks near horses; the code does not list separate permit criteria within this article, so an applicant works through whatever permitting process the Village has adopted under that authority. Because the prohibition sits outside the general state fireworks framework, it applies specifically and only within the mapped EPA boundary, not villagewide.