If you are planning a holiday fireworks show, you may want to brush up on Florida fireworks laws, which recently changed. The bottom line is that just because you see it in a store or roadside stall doesn’t mean it’s legal to buy, own, or use.
Flares are legal in Florida
The only legal fireworks for use by consumers who do not have a special permit are those that fall into the category known as “sparklers.” This includes items more commonly known as:
- Flares
- Sources
- Snakes
- Fireflies
If you are unsure whether a particular firework is approved for consumer use, Florida Fire Marshall publishes a comprehensive list of legal flares each year.
Can I buy Roman candles or other fireworks?
Roman candles are not legal in Florida, and while you can buy other fireworks, it is illegal to do so. The stores that sell these fireworks are exploiting a loophole that allows them to sell the fireworks for approved legal uses. When you buy them for your backyard fireworks show, you are breaking the law.
What happens if I sign a Wavier?
If you are trying to buy fireworks (other than sparklers), stores will often ask you to sign a heavier form. If you read this form carefully, you will notice that you are stating that you intend to use the fireworks for an approved purchase, such as use on your farm or in your fish farm to scare off animals. This takes the store off the hook. If you are lying to them, that is your problem, not theirs, in the eyes of the law. The exemption protects the store, not you.
But everyone else is doing it!
It is true that many people set off illegal fireworks in Florida. Many people also speed, drive and violate many other laws. You are playing that you will not be the person who catches you.
What can happen if I light fireworks illegally?
In Florida, the possession or use of illegal fireworks is classified as a misdemeanor. If you violate this law, you can be arrested. If found guilty, he can be fined up to $ 1,000 and sentenced to up to one year in prison.
