Fireworks

Kentucky allows the retail sale and use of consumer fireworks. Only adults may buy them, the aerial and louder types have a distance rule, and cities and counties can add their own restrictions.

What is legal

Consumer fireworks are the kinds made for use by the public that meet federal Consumer Product Safety Commission rules. KRS 227.702 puts them in three groups:

• Ground and hand-held sparkling devices, such as sparklers, fountains, wheels and ground spinners.
• Aerial devices, such as bottle rockets, sky rockets, Roman candles, mines, shells and reloadable tube kits.
• Audible ground devices, meaning small firecrackers and chasers.

Novelties such as snakes, smoke devices, party poppers and snappers are not classified as consumer fireworks and may be sold and used at any time. Display fireworks, the larger devices used in professional shows, may not be possessed or used without a permit for a supervised public display.

Age and distance rules

• No person or business may sell or give consumer fireworks to anyone under 18.
• A person must be at least 18 to use aerial devices or audible ground devices.
• Those fireworks may not be ignited within 200 feet of any structure, vehicle or other person.
• Their use must not violate a local ordinance.

Local ordinances

State law says that nothing in the fireworks statutes stops a local government from passing ordinances on the sale or use of fireworks within its boundaries. Local rules may limit the days and hours fireworks can be set off or the types that are allowed, and they vary from place to place. If you live inside a city in Campbell County, check with the city. Outside city limits, check with the county.

Penalties and enforcement

A person who violates the fireworks statutes, or who knowingly induces someone else to violate them, can be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to 30 days, or both. The state fire marshal, or a fire department acting for the fire marshal, can remove fireworks that are stored or held illegally, at the owner’s expense.

Seasonal fireworks sellers, including stands and tents, must register with the state fire marshal and display the registration certificate at each site. Seasonal retailers are those selling between June 10 and July 7, between December 26 and January 4, or both.