No Permit Needed And No Age Restriction (unless by local ordinance):
Sparklers, stationary cones and fountains, toy snakes, smoke bombs, and caps, noisemakers and confetti poppers with less than ¼ of a grain of explosive mixture are legal without permits, unless restricted by local ordinances.
Valid Permit Required, Group Use Only, No Use By Minors or Individuals: All other fireworks, including roman candles, firecrackers, bottle rockets, mortars etc.—anything that explodes or leaves the ground–is illegal except for groups with permits.
Valid Permits:
- must be issued by a mayor, village president or town chair or designated municipal official or employee. Permits issued or sold by vendors are never valid, even if authorized by an official or bearing a printed or stamped official signature.
- A permit issued to an individual is not valid (except to a farmer for crop protection). It must be issued to a group or other organization listed in the statute.
- only allow possession or use in municipality of issuing official
- must specify the kind of fireworks allowed, not just broad categories. The term “Class C” fireworks does not satisfy this requirement.
- must specify the quantity, in numbers, of each kind of fireworks it allows. A dollar value does not satisfy this requirement
- must give a single specific location at which the fireworks may be possessed or used. The name of the municipality alone is not enough. A separate permit is required for each location.
- must give a single date on which the fireworks may be used. A separate permit is required for each separate date.
- must state the date on or after which the fireworks may be purchased.
- A copy of the permit must be provided to law enforcement or a fire official in the municipality of the permitted use at least two days before use.
- Non-residents must have a Wisconsin permit to buy fireworks while in Wisconsin. A nonresident may order fireworks from a Wisconsin vendor while out of state, if they are shipped or delivered to the out-of-state location by commercial carrier or by the seller in a truck owned by the seller. An out-of-state buyer may not pick up their fireworks in Wisconsin.
- A legal purchaser may transport the fireworks from a place of purchase to the location specified in the permit for possession or use.
- Cannot be issued to a minor and parents and guardians may not allow a minor to use restricted fireworks.
- A group with a permit may authorize named individuals to purchase on its behalf, subject to the limits imposed by the group’s permits.
Penalties:
Up to $1,000 forfeiture per violation (each firework may be a violation); up to $10,000 and 9 months in jail for a person who violates an injunction prohibiting them from violating the law.
