Racine County, WI Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)
Key Facts
- State Statute
- Wis. Stat. §167.10
- Permit Issuer
- Mayor, village president, or town chair
- Statewide Exemptions
- Sparklers, smoke devices, snakes, novelty caps
- Storage Setback
- 50 ft from dwellings and assemblies
- Local Authority
- May be more restrictive only (§167.10(5)(b))
- Minor Permits
- Prohibited
Summary
Wis. Stat. §167.10 governs fireworks statewide and requires a local user's permit issued by the mayor, village president, or town chair before any non-exempt fireworks may be possessed or used. Racine County itself does not issue fireworks permits; each incorporated city and village and each unincorporated town acts as the permit authority within its jurisdiction. Several Racine County municipalities have adopted ordinances stricter than the state baseline.
167.10(3)(a) (a) No person may possess or use fireworks without a user's permit from the mayor of the city, president of the village or chairperson of the town in which the possession or use is to occur or from a person designated by the mayor, president or chairperson to issue a user's permit. No person may use fireworks or a device listed under sub. (1) (e) to (g) or (i) to (n) while attending a fireworks display for which a permit has been issued to a person listed under par. (c) 1. to 5. or under par. (c) 6. if the display is open to the general public. 167.10(3)(c) (c) A permit under this subsection may be issued only to the following persons: 167.10(3)(c)1. 1. A public authority. 167.10(3)(c)2. 2. A fair association. 167.10(3)(c)3. 3. An amusement park. 167.10(3)(c)4. 4. A park board. 167.10(3)(c)5. 5. A civic organization. 167.10(3)(c)6. 6. Any individual or group of individuals. A permit issued to a group of individuals confers the privileges under the permit to each member of the group. 167.10(3)(c)7. 7. An agricultural producer for the protection of crops from predatory birds or animals. 167.10(5)(a) (a) Subject to pars. (b) to (e) , a city, village, town or county may enact an ordinance for any of the following: 167.10(5)(a)1. 1. Defining "fireworks" to include all items included under sub. (1) (intro.) and anything under sub. (1) (e) , (f) , (i) , (j) , (k) , (L) , (m) and (n) . 167.10(5)(a)2. 2. Prohibiting the sale, possession or use, as defined by ordinance, of fireworks. 167.10(5)(a)3. 3. Regulating the sale, possession or use, as defined by ordinance, of fireworks. 167.10(5)(b) (b) An ordinance under par. (a) may not be less restrictive in its coverage, prohibition or regulation than this section but may be more restrictive than this section.
Full Breakdown
Under Wis. 10(1), 'fireworks' means anything manufactured, processed, or packaged for exploding, emitting sparks, or combustion that has no other common use. 4 explosives, novelty ground devices, and caps containing under one-quarter grain of explosive mixture. Wis. 10(3)(c) may not be issued to a minor. Wis. 10(3) requires that fireworks not be stored or handled within 50 feet of a dwelling and not within 50 feet of any public assemblage or any place where gasoline or volatile liquid is dispensed in quantities exceeding one gallon; storage operators must notify the local fire official of the location.
Wis. 10(5)(b) authorizes local ordinances that are more restrictive but not less restrictive than the statute. In Racine County, each municipality enforces its own version: the City of Racine prohibits the sale, use, possession, or discharge of fireworks within city limits except by permit; smaller villages and towns commonly issue user's permits for residential July 4 use only after a fire department review. Public displays anywhere in the county require a Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services pyrotechnic operator license under Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 314, plus the local user's permit. 10 enforcement is handled by local police, sheriff's deputies, and district attorneys.
Violations & Fines
Possessing or using non-exempt fireworks without a §167.10(3)(c) permit is enforceable as a forfeiture under the relevant municipal ordinance, with confiscation of the fireworks. Selling fireworks without authorization under §167.10(2) is a separate violation. Local ordinances may add fines (commonly several hundred dollars per offense in Racine County municipalities). Public displays without a state pyrotechnic license violate Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 314 and trigger DSPS enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are consumer fireworks legal to set off in Racine County?
Where can I buy fireworks in Racine County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Racine County
How Racine County compares: Cities Where Fireworks Are Banned or Heavily Restricted·Compare Racine County to another location·View the Wisconsin fire regulations overview
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