Leave Fireworks to the Professionals

Celebrating special events in the City of Wilmington is a time-honored tradition. Residents and visitors are encouraged to celebrate safely by following the rules and regulations regarding the use of fireworks.

In the City of Wilmington, 

• The possession, storage, or sale of any fireworks, firecrackers, rockets, torpedoes, Roman candles, fire balloons, or other fireworks or substances of any combination designed or intended for pyrotechnic display without a permit IS ILLEGAL.

• The term fireworks does not include toy pistols, toy canes, toy guns, or other devices in which paper caps are used.

• Legal fireworks displays must have a certified pyrotechnics technician onsite and a permit on file with the Fire Marshal’s Office.

• Persons under the age of 18 MAY NOT possess any fireworks.

The following legal fireworks can be used by persons 18 years or older without a permit:

• Wood stick or wire sparklers which produce a shower of sparks upon ignition and which consist of wire or stick coated with, but not more than 100 grams, of pyrotechnic mixture per item;

• Other hand-held or ground-based sparkling devices which are non-explosive and non-aerial, which sometimes produce a crackling or whistling effect, and which contain 75 grams or less of pyrotechnic mixture per tube or a total of 500 grams;

• Tubes, snakes, glow worms, and smoke devices which contain 20 grams or less of pyrotechnic mixture; or trick noise makers, which include party poppers, snappers, and drop pops, each containing 16 milligrams or less of pyrotechnic mixture.

Authorized Dates

Legal fireworks are allowed to be used by persons 18 years of age and older on:

• Independence Day (July 4);
• New Year's Eve (December 31);
• New Year's Day (January 1); and
• During a 30-day period prior to and including each these days.

Penalties

The City of Wilmington Fire Marshal's Office will enforce these rules by confiscating fireworks, fines, and/or criminal summons (court appearances) and court-imposed fines.

More Information

Read the complete Delaware Code regarding fireworks at: delcode.delaware.gov/title16/c069/

For more information about fireworks safety, visit the National Safety Council's fireworks safety web page at: www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer/fireworks.