Yes – Beginning July 1, 2022, Ohioans can legally discharge 1.4G consumer fireworks in Ohio. However, discharge is only permitted on specific days and only at specific times – as set forth in amendments to Ohio Revised Code (R.C.) § 3743.45 (which become effective July 1, 2022) and new Ohio Fire Code (OFC) § 1301:7-7-56(Z)(5626) (which becomes effective July 3, 2022) – and only if not banned or further restricted by a local political subdivision. Click on the links to see the full text of the new laws and rules.
When can Ohioans discharge fireworks?
Unless further limited by local jurisdictions, Ohioans can discharge 1.4G consumer fireworks only from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. (unless otherwise specified) on the following dates:
- July 3, 4, and 5, and the Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays immediately preceding and following July 4
- Labor Day weekend (1st Monday in September and the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding that Monday)
- Diwali
- New Year’s Eve (4 p.m.-11:59 p.m.)
- New Year’s Day (also 12 a.m.-1 a.m.)
- Chinese New Year
- Cinco de Mayo
- Memorial Day weekend (last Monday in May and the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding that Monday)
- Juneteenth (June 19)
- No person under the age of 18 is permitted to handle or discharge fireworks.
- Persons under the age of 18 cannot be within 150 feet of the discharge point of aerial fireworks.
- Aerial devices cannot be discharged within 150 feet of spectators (this includes aerial shells, roman candles, cakes, and bottle rockets).
- Non-aerial devices cannot be discharged within 50 feet of spectators (this includes fountains, firecrackers, and ground effect devices).
- No person can store in excess of 125 pounds (net weight pyrotechnic composition) of fireworks unless they have additional safety measures and safeguards in place for such storage.
- Fireworks cannot be discharged indoors.
- Fireworks cannot be aimed at or discharged towards any person or object (such as buildings).
- Fireworks cannot be discharged on public property or private school property.
- Fireworks cannot be discharged if drought conditions exist or in an area where a red flag warning is in place or a weather hazard exists.
- Fireworks cannot be discharged within 150 feet of property housing livestock unless 5 days advance written notice is provided to the owner of the property where the livestock is housed.