Fireworks Are Illegal in Los Angeles. All of Them.

Less than two years ago, Los Angeles burned. The Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and Kenneth fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures, killed dozens of people, and displaced entire communities. The grass is dry again, the winds will be back, and fireworks season is here.

This isn’t meant as a lecture. Plenty of people genuinely don’t know the rules, and this is for them. Some of you do know and do it anyway. If that’s you, the math has changed this year.

Here’s What the Law Actually Says

If you live, work, or are celebrating anywhere in the City of Los Angeles, every kind of firework is illegal, from bottle rockets and mortars all the way down to sparklers.

That includes the ones sold at stands in neighboring cities. It also includes “Safe and Sane” fireworks with the State Fire Marshal’s seal. Those are legal in some California communities, but Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 57.5608.1.2 bans possessing, using, selling, or discharging any firework inside city limits.

A lot of people miss that part. They drive to a stand in El Monte or Palmdale, buy something with an official-looking seal, bring it home to their driveway in Van Nuys or Silver Lake, and figure they’re fine. They aren’t.

Buying From a Private Seller Is Its Own Crime

Licensed stands aren’t the only source, either. A lot of what goes off around the Fourth came from a guy with a truck, a social media post, or someone who drove in from out of state with a case in the trunk.

Legally, how you got them doesn’t matter. Under California law, possessing fireworks that aren’t registered with the State Fire Marshal is illegal. Buying from an unlicensed seller doesn’t protect you at all. You’re just holding contraband with no receipt, no legitimate source, and no defense. The seller broke the law, and so did you as soon as you took it.

Black-market product is also in a different category from what’s sold at a licensed stand. Commercial-grade mortars, M-80s, and imported shells are classified as dangerous fireworks under state law, so the criminal exposure starts higher. If one of them starts a fire, expect to be sued. Since January 2025, there are attorneys in this city whose whole practice is pursuing exactly these cases.

What Happens If You Get Caught

Under California Health and Safety Code Section 12700, illegal fireworks violations are prosecuted as misdemeanors. That means:

– Fines of $1,000 to $2,000 for a first offense

– Up to one year in county jail

– Civil & criminal liability for any property damage or fire caused, which adds up fast if your firework starts a structure fire

– For larger quantities, the charges get much more serious: possessing 25–100 pounds is a public offense with steeper fines, and above that you’re looking at felony exposure and fines up to $100,000

– Property owners can also face administrative citations even if they didn’t light the fuse

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has said enforcement this season will be aggressive. Starting June 28th, expect heightened patrols in WUI neighborhoods and dense residential areas across the San Fernando Valley and surrounding communities. If you’re caught with fireworks, they’ll be confiscated on the spot with no warning, and the penalties above apply. If what you have came off the black market, you’re already dealing with dangerous fireworks charges. And if something you light starts a fire, you’re on the hook for all of it: suppression costs, property damage, and lawsuits. This is a bad year to roll the dice.

What You Can Do Instead

Go see a show. LAist put together a guide to celebrating the Fourth, including live fireworks shows. Many of them are free and genuinely spectacular, and nobody ends up in county jail or paying for a neighbor’s fence.

If you see illegal fireworks in your neighborhood, report it, but don’t call 911. Use the 311 app, the LAPD online complaint form, or LAPD’s non-emergency line at (877) ASK-LAPD.

This matters more than people think. On past Fourth of July nights, LAPD has publicly reported holding nearly 50 active 911 calls because the lines were jammed with fireworks complaints. People with chest pain, people in car crashes, people who needed help right away were stuck waiting behind noise complaints. LAPD has been clear that unless someone is hurt or something is on fire, calling 911 about fireworks ties up the line for real emergencies. Delays like that kill people.

Use 311, and save 911 for when it counts.

For real-time fire alerts in your area, download the LAIT911 Mobile App.

Southern California Wildfire Response (SCWR) is a community wildland fire and all-hazard emergency response department serving Los Angeles and neighboring counties. We exist to protect communities and close the gap between when disasters begin and when help arrives.