Fireworks are legal in Sacramento only if they carry the state’s “Safe and Sane” seal, are used on private property, and are lit during a short window around the Fourth of July. Everything else, from bottle rockets to Roman candles to M-80s, is illegal in both the City of Sacramento and unincorporated Sacramento County, and both jurisdictions now issue fines that reach $10,000.
What Safe and Sane Actually Covers
California’s State Fire Marshal tests every consumer firework sold in the state and prints a “Safe and Sane” seal on the packaging of products that pass.1Cornell Law Institute. California Code of Regulations 19 CCR 987.6 – State Fire Marshals Seal of Registration No seal, not legal. It’s that simple at the point of sale.
Safe and Sane fireworks stay on the ground, don’t explode, and don’t launch into the air. Fountains, ground spinners, smoke devices, and small sparklers fit the category. Anything that rises, shoots fireballs, darts across the ground, or detonates is classified as a “dangerous firework” under state law and is banned for consumer use statewide.2California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 12505
When You Can Use Them
The legal window runs June 28 through July 4, with slightly different hours depending on which jurisdiction you’re standing in.
In unincorporated Sacramento County, sales run from noon on June 28 through 9:00 p.m. on July 4. Use is allowed between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on those same dates.3Sacramento County, CA. Sacramento County Code 4.54.300 – Article 7 Fireworks In the City of Sacramento, sales run June 28 through July 4, with the same 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. use window.4Sacramento City Express. City Council Approves Up to $10,000 Fines and Year-Round Enforcement on Illegal Fireworks
Step outside those dates or hours and even a legal Safe and Sane fountain becomes a fineable offense. Sacramento County recently amended its ordinance so that each unauthorized use draws its own penalty, meaning a fountain lit at 10:30 p.m. on July 3 can be treated the same as a bottle rocket.5Sacramento County. Board Approves Amendment to Fireworks Ordinance
Where You Can Light Them
Private property only. Parks, school grounds, streets, sidewalks, and the American River Parkway are all off-limits, and using fireworks in those locations triggers a $10,000 fine in Sacramento County.6Sacramento County. Know the Risks! Keep It Safe, Keep It Legal This 4th of July That number tends to end any debate about lighting off a fountain at the park or in a school parking lot.
If a firework you light starts a fire, you can also be billed for the emergency response on top of any fines or criminal charges.
What Counts as Illegal
California’s list of dangerous fireworks is broad. It includes firecrackers of any size, sky rockets and bottle rockets, Roman candles, aerial shells, chasers, sparklers longer than 10 inches or wider than a quarter inch, and trick devices such as exploding golf balls and trick matches.2California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 12505 M-80s, cherry bombs, and similar devices sit in an even more serious category. CAL FIRE maintains a zero-tolerance stance on any illegal fireworks in California.7Ready for Wildfire. Fireworks Safety
Driving to Nevada, filling a trunk with mortars, and driving back is a crime the moment those fireworks cross the state line.
Local Fines
Both the city and the county have tightened their local penalties in the past year, and they administer them separately.
City of Sacramento
Under Chapter 8.48 of the city code, fines start at $1,000 for a first offense, rise to $2,500 for a second, and reach $5,000 for further violations. A $10,000 fine applies in high-risk areas or for manufacturing fireworks. The city has also authorized year-round enforcement, so these penalties don’t sunset after July 4.4Sacramento City Express. City Council Approves Up to $10,000 Fines and Year-Round Enforcement on Illegal Fireworks
Sacramento County
The county follows the same $1,000 / $2,500 / $5,000 escalation, with a $10,000 fine for violations at schools, parks, and the American River Parkway. A 2026 amendment now applies fines per individual firework used rather than per incident, so five illegal fireworks in one evening can generate five separate fines.5Sacramento County. Board Approves Amendment to Fireworks Ordinance
If Fireworks Go Off at Your House
This is where a lot of people get caught. Both jurisdictions hold property owners and tenants responsible for illegal fireworks on their premises, even when a guest brought them.
Under the city ordinance, if fireworks are used on your property while you’re home, the law presumes you knew. You can only escape liability by calling law enforcement or fire officials to stop it before someone else reports the violation. Hosts also owe the city for any emergency response costs, and all responsible parties for a single incident share those costs jointly.8City of Sacramento. Ordinance Amending Sacramento City Code Chapter 8.48 Sacramento County’s social host rule works the same way: illegal fireworks from your property mean you pay the fines.6Sacramento County. Know the Risks! Keep It Safe, Keep It Legal This 4th of July
Practically: if a guest starts pulling illegal fireworks out of the car at your barbecue, shut it down and call the authorities. Hoping neighbors don’t notice is how a $1,000 fine grows into something much larger.
State Criminal Charges Stack on Top
Local fines are administrative. State criminal penalties are separate, and they scale with the weight of dangerous fireworks involved under Health and Safety Code Section 12700:9California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 12700
- Under 25 pounds: misdemeanor, up to one year in county jail and a fine of $1,000 to $2,000.
- 25 to 100 pounds: up to one year in jail and a fine of $1,000 to $5,000.
- 100 to 5,000 pounds: possible state prison and a fine of $5,000 to $10,000.
- Over 5,000 pounds: state prison and a fine of $10,000 to $50,000.
Those weights include packaging. A few cases of aerial shells add up faster than people expect. Someone caught with illegal fireworks at a county park can face the $10,000 local fine and a separate criminal case with additional jail time and fines.
How To Report Illegal Fireworks
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District coordinates reporting across the region, and the number depends on where you are:10Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. Report Dangerous Fireworks
- City of Sacramento: 916-808-FIRE or the Sacramento Fire Department app.
- Unincorporated county: 916-874-5115 or reportfireworks@saccounty.gov.
- Elk Grove: 916-714-5115.
- Rancho Cordova: 916-362-5115 or the Rancho Cordova Connect app.
- Citrus Heights: 916-727-5500.
- Not sure which jurisdiction: dial 3-1-1.
Call 911 only if there’s an active fire, an injury, or another emergency. Nextdoor and social media posts don’t reach public safety agencies. Reports work best when you can give the exact address, not just a general neighborhood.