Safety Information

Welcome to the safety page – yes, really

We know, we know. You came here for big bangs and bigger bargains, and now we’re asking you to read a safety page. But here’s the thing: the best display in the street is the one where everybody keeps their eyebrows. Five minutes here and you’ll know the rules, the times and the tricks, so on the night you can relax and enjoy the oohs and aahs. And when it comes to the law, we’ll give it to you straight.

When you’re allowed to let them off

England and Wales: no fireworks between 11pm and 7am. A few special nights get extended opening hours:

Any ordinary night – finish by 11pm, all year round
Bonfire Night, Thursday 5 November 2026 – until midnight
Diwali, Sunday 8 November 2026 – until 1am the next morning
New Year’s Eve, Thursday 31 December 2026 – until 1am on New Year’s Day
Chinese New Year, Saturday 6 February 2027 – until 1am the next morning

Scotland: the rules are stricter. Adult fireworks (F2 and F3) can only be used on private land between 6pm and 11pm, so no afternoon displays. The same special nights get extra time: Bonfire Night until midnight, and Hogmanay, Diwali and Chinese New Year until 1am. Councils can also declare Firework Control Zones, where fireworks are banned altogether, back gardens included. Check with your council before you buy. Breaking the rules in Scotland can mean a fine of up to £5,000, up to six months in prison, or both.

Northern Ireland: most fireworks need a Department of Justice licence to buy, keep or use. We don’t deliver fireworks to Northern Ireland.

Wherever you are in the UK:

It is against the law to set off or throw fireworks, sparklers included, in the street or any public place. Your own garden, or private land where the owner has said yes, and nowhere else.
Your local council may have its own rules on top, so it’s worth a quick check.
Breaking firework law, whether using or selling, can mean an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison, or a £90 on-the-spot fine.

Age restrictions – legal notice

It is illegal to sell category F2 fireworks and F3 fireworks to anyone under the age of 18.

It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to possess category F2 fireworks or category F3 fireworks in a public place.

Ordering online: you’ll confirm you’re 18 or over at checkout, and an adult must sign for every delivery. Our courier may ask for photo ID. No ID, no fireworks, no matter how grown-up the 15-year-old at the door looks.
Collecting from our Dunscroft warehouse: the person collecting must be 18 or over and may be asked for photo ID.
Category F1 items carry their own age limits, for instance 12 for Christmas crackers and 16 for party poppers.
In Scotland it’s a specific offence to buy fireworks for anyone under 18.

What the categories mean

Every firework sold in the UK carries a category. Think of it as the spec sheet: it tells you what the firework was built for and how far back your audience needs to be. You’ll find both on every product page and on the firework itself.

CATEGORY F1 – Very low hazard: sparklers, party poppers, indoor novelties. Minimum safety distance: 1 metre
CATEGORY F2 – Garden fireworks for use at home, outdoors. Minimum safety distance: 8 metres
CATEGORY F3 – Bigger display fireworks for large gardens and open ground. Minimum safety distance: 25 metres
CATEGORY F4 – Professional fireworks for trained operators only. We don’t sell these. Minimum safety distance: set by the professional

On our listings you may also spot 1.4G or 1.3G. That’s the UN hazard classification, which covers how fireworks are transported and stored. It’s separate from the category.

Will your garden do? Here’s our honest sales pitch: buy the firework that fits your space, not the biggest one in the shop. If you can’t get everyone back by at least the safety distance, go down a category. A well-placed F2 beats a squeezed-in F3 every time, and you’ll have change left for a second one.

Noise ratings explained [confirm we use this scale]

Every product page carries a Noise Rating, so you can pick fireworks that suit the neighbours, the pets and the in-laws.

NOISE RATING 1 – LOW NOISE A soft, dull break made to be quiet, or a very low-noise effect. Fountains and plain-effect roman candles can be quieter still.
NOISE RATING 2 – REDUCED NOISE Effects designed to keep noise down, though you’ll still hear a moderate amount.
NOISE RATING 3 – SOME BANGS Usually a multi-effect cake mixing quiet effects with some noisier ones.
NOISE RATING 4 – LOUD BANGS Big, loud, colourful bursts, or bangs with no colour. Typically 25mm and 30mm calibre.
NOISE RATING 5 – MEGA LOUD Noise is the main event, from a larger calibre. Usually salutes or reports.

After something gentler? Our Quiet Fireworks range has all the colour with none of the drama.

Doing it properly at home: the 12-point checklist

Buy from a licensed retailer (hello!), and check every firework is UK-compliant and shows its category.
Plan ahead. Read every label in daylight and work out where things will go up and come down.
Keep your fireworks in a closed box and take them out one at a time.
Have a torch, a bucket of water, gloves and eye protection ready before you start.
Light at arm’s length with a portfire or the lighter supplied, then step well back.
Never go back to a firework once it’s lit. This one’s non-negotiable.
If one doesn’t go off, don’t relight it. Leave it at least 30 minutes, then drop it in a bucket of water.
Never put fireworks in your pocket, and never throw them.
If it’s windy, wait for another night. Never aim fireworks at people, buildings or trees.
Keep alcohol well away from whoever is doing the lighting. Toast the show afterwards.
Supervise children at all times. No sparklers for the under-5s, and gloves for the older ones.
Keep pets indoors (more on that below).

Pets and wildlife

Plenty of people, and most animals, aren’t fans of sudden loud bangs. A few simple steps keep everyone happy:

Let your neighbours know when you’re planning fireworks, so they can bring their animals in.
Go for quieter fireworks. Check the Noise Rating on each product, or browse our Quiet Fireworks range.
Keep your own pets indoors with the curtains drawn, some background noise and a safe place to hide.
Check the bonfire for hedgehogs before lighting. Build it on the day, or move it before you light it.
Tidy up the next morning. Spent fireworks and sparklers stay hot for a surprisingly long time and can burn paws.

There’s lots more in our full guide: Fireworks, Pets, Wildlife & Responsible Use

The morning after: clearing up safely

Walk the garden in daylight and pick up every bit of debris, rocket sticks included.
Soak spent fireworks and used sparklers in a bucket of water overnight before they go in the general waste.
Never burn fireworks or their packaging, least of all in a stove, boiler or anywhere enclosed.
Found one that didn’t go off? Soak it in water and leave it be. No second attempts.

Putting on a bigger display

Organising a display for a school, club, wedding or village do? It needs more planning. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) points organisers to two free guides from the Explosives Industry Group (EIG), which replaced the old HSE guides HSG123 and HSG124 in 2018:

Giving Your Own Firework Display – the Red Guide: for displays you fire yourself (F1–F3 only).
Working Together on Firework Displays – the Blue Guide: for displays fired by a professional operator.

The HSE’s own checklist is on its Organising firework displays page. The short version:

Before the event

Look over the site in daylight for overhead power lines, trees, buildings and anything else in the way.
Make sure fireworks have room to land well clear of spectators, with space behind the firing area for debris.
Check the wind direction, and decide now what you’ll do if it changes.
Plan for emergencies, including who rings 999.
Store fireworks safely in a closed container, away from anything that could set them off. Email us if you’d like advice.
Category F4 fireworks are for professional operators only.
If there’s a bar, keep it well away from the display.

On the day

Check the site, the weather and the wind again.
Keep everyone out of the firing area, the safety zone around it and the fallout area.
Don’t let spectators bring their own fireworks. There’s always one.
If there’s a bonfire, check there are no children or animals inside before it’s lit. Never use petrol or paraffin to get it going.

The morning after

Check and clear the site carefully, and dispose of any fireworks safely.

If it’s a public event, talk to your insurer about public liability cover.

Any questions?

We love talking fireworks. If you’re not sure what suits your garden, your neighbours or your budget, email sales@fireworkshop.com or use our contact form and we’ll point you to the right box.

Useful links

This page is guidance only. Always read and follow the instructions on each firework.