Are Fireworks Legal in Anaheim, California?

Fireworks are almost entirely illegal in Anaheim. The city bans possessing, selling, or setting off fireworks under Anaheim Municipal Code Chapter 6.40, with one narrow exception: state-approved “safe and sane” fireworks may be used on July 4th between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., on private property in a residential zone.¹² Anything that flies, explodes, or moves unpredictably is illegal at all times and can trigger both city fines and state criminal charges.

What Counts as Safe and Sane

California sorts consumer fireworks into two buckets, and only one is legal in Anaheim at all.

Safe and sane fireworks are ground-based items that don’t fly, explode, or dart around. Small fountains, smokeballs, and short sparklers are typical examples. Every package has to carry the State Fire Marshal’s classification label and the seller’s registration number.³ No seal, no legal use, no matter how mild the item looks.

Everything else is a “dangerous firework” under state law: firecrackers, skyrockets, Roman candles, chasers, torpedoes, fireworks kits, and sparklers longer than 10 inches or wider than one-quarter inch. Novelty items like exploding golf balls and trick matches are on the list too.⁴ If it came from out of state or from an unlicensed source and it goes up or goes bang, treat it as illegal.

When and Where You Can Set Them Off

Safe and sane fireworks are permitted only on July 4th, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The City Council can add dates by resolution, but absent that, any other day of the year is a violation, including June and early July before the 4th.²

Location is just as tight. Use is limited to private property in a residential zone, and the code lists several places where fireworks are off-limits even during the legal window:

Public property, including streets, sidewalks, parks, alleys, and city-owned buildings, unless the City Manager designates an exception
Commercial and industrial zones, except for existing nonconforming residential uses within them
The Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area, covering portions of east Anaheim near hillsides and canyons
Any high fire hazard area designated by the Fire Chief
Any premises where gasoline or other flammable liquids are stored or dispensed

You also can’t set off fireworks within 10 feet of any residence, dwelling, or other structure, and you can’t send them onto a neighbor’s property without permission.² That 10-foot buffer is the rule most people miss, because typical Anaheim driveways and backyards sit closer to the house than that.

Anyone under 16 has to be directly supervised by someone 18 or older, and only during the legal date and hours. Adults with custody of a child under 16 are on the hook if the rule is broken.²

Buying Fireworks in Anaheim

Retail sales of safe and sane fireworks are allowed, but only from stands holding a permit from the Fire Chief. The city caps permits at 16 per year and awards them through a lottery.⁵ Under state law, the sales window runs from noon on June 28 through noon on July 6.⁶ No one under 18 may buy or sell them.

Fireworks bought from a permitted Anaheim stand and marked with the State Fire Marshal’s seal are legal to use under the date, time, and location rules above. Fireworks bought elsewhere, including neighboring states, are almost always classified as dangerous fireworks and illegal to possess in the city at all.

If You Get Caught

Anaheim runs two enforcement tracks at the same time: local administrative fines and state criminal charges. One incident can produce both.

City fines for dangerous fireworks escalate over a one-year period: $1,000 for a first offense, $2,000 for a second, and $3,000 for a third, with late charges of $250 to $1,000 on top. Safe and sane fireworks used outside the permitted dates, times, or locations draw lower fines: $250, $500, and $1,000 for first, second, and third offenses, with late charges of $125 to $500.⁷

State law adds criminal penalties. A general fireworks violation under the Health and Safety Code is a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 to $2,000 fine, up to one year in county jail, or both. Possessing dangerous fireworks carries weight-based penalties that climb fast: under 25 pounds is a misdemeanor; 25 to 100 pounds carries fines of $2,000 to $10,000; 100 to 5,000 pounds is a wobbler that can be charged as a felony with fines of $10,000 to $20,000; and over 5,000 pounds is a wobbler with fines from $20,000 to $100,000.⁸ Packaging counts toward the weight, so a garage of aerial shells can push someone past 25 pounds without much effort.

If fireworks cause a fire, injury, or property damage, civil liability is a separate exposure. Homeowners insurance policies generally exclude damage arising from illegal activity, so the cost of emergency response and repairs can land entirely on the person responsible.

Host Liability if It Happens at Your Home

Anaheim’s host liability provision reaches property owners, not just the person lighting the fuse. If you’re present when a fireworks violation occurs on your property, the code creates a rebuttable presumption that you knew about it and permitted it, and you face the same administrative fines as the person setting them off.⁹ The rule also covers owners who encourage fireworks use in the public right-of-way next to their property.

There is one safe harbor: if you call law enforcement or fire officials to stop the activity before anyone else reports it, host liability doesn’t apply.⁹ Once a neighbor calls first, that option is gone.

Reporting Illegal Fireworks

Anaheim runs an online reporting tool on its fireworks information page.¹⁰ For non-emergency reports, the Anaheim Police Department’s line is (714) 765-1900.¹¹ Call 911 if there’s a fire, an injury, or an immediate safety threat, and don’t confront anyone setting off illegal fireworks yourself.

1
American Legal Publishing. Anaheim Municipal Code – Chapter 6.40 Fireworks
2
American Legal Publishing. Anaheim Municipal Code 6.40.030 – Safe and Sane Fireworks Discharge
3
California Legislative Information. California Code HSC – Classification of Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Devices
4
California Legislative Information. California Code HSC 12505 – Dangerous Fireworks
5
American Legal Publishing. Anaheim Municipal Code 6.40.035 – Safe and Sane Fireworks Sale
6
California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code – Remedies
7
American Legal Publishing. Anaheim Municipal Code 6.40.100 – Administrative Fines and Penalties
8
California Legislative Information. California Code HSC 12700 – Penalties
9
American Legal Publishing. Anaheim Municipal Code 6.40.036 – Host Liability
10
City of Anaheim. Fireworks in Anaheim
11
Anaheim Police Department. File a Police Report