Where are fireworks illegal in Northeast Ohio?
(WJW) — As the July 4 holiday nears, one can expect many Ohioans to express their patriotism by sending a black powder-filled shell screaming into the twilight’s last gleaming.
Whether or not shooting off fireworks goes against the law of the land depends on where they live — and what day it is.
A new state law that took effect in July 2022 ended decades of prohibition on consumer-grade fireworks — at least on certain holidays — but it also allowed municipalities to set their own restrictions on private fireworks shows, or ban them entirely.
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What is Ohio’s fireworks law?
In Ohio, fireworks were illegal to use statewide for anyone, except in permitted fireworks displays — until 2022. Under Ohio’s permissive fireworks law that took effect that year, less-powerful consumer-grade fireworks — known in the U.S. as 1.4G fireworks — can be set off on private property by adults, but only on certain days:
New Year’s Day, Jan. 1
Chinese New Year’s Day, which falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20
Cinco de Mayo, May 5
Memorial Day, which falls on last Monday in May, as well as the preceding Saturday and Sunday
Juneteenth, June 19
Independence Day, July 4, as well as July 3 and 5, and the first Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays before and after July 4
Labor Day, which falls on the first Monday in September, as well as the preceding Saturday and Sunday
Diwali, which is celebrated between October and November
New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31
Ohioans still can’t use them while drinking or intoxicated. Aerial fireworks like shells, Roman candles, cakes and bottle rockets must be set off at least 150 feet away from spectators. For other non-aerial fireworks, that distance is 50 feet.
The law allows local governments to restrict those dates or ban fireworks entirely, and many have done just that.
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Where are fireworks still illegal in Northeast Ohio?
[Editor’s note: Many Northeast Ohio communities still have not responded to FOX 8 News’ request for confirmation on local fireworks ordinances. If you don’t see your community on this list, check back later.]
Beachwood
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Bedford
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge. There is no city-sponsored fireworks display.
Berea
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Brook Park
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Brunswick
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Chagrin Falls
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Cleveland
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Conneaut
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Cuyahoga Falls
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Eastlake
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Euclid
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Gates Mills
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Highland Heights
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Independence
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Lakewood
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Lyndhurst
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Mansfield
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Mayfield Heights
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Medina
Fireworks are illegal to possess and discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Mentor
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Mentor-on-the-Lake
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Middleburg Heights
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
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Newburgh Heights
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, though there is no penalty for possessing them.
North Olmsted
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
North Royalton
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Painesville
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Parma
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Port Clinton
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Put-in-Bay
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Rocky River
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Seven Hills
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Shaker Heights
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Sheffield Village
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Solon
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
South Amherst
Fireworks are illegal to possess and discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Strongsville
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Twinsburg
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
University Heights
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Upper Sandusky
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Vermilion
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Wadsworth
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Westlake
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
Wickliffe
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Willoughby
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Willoughby Hills
Fireworks are illegal to possess or discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays.
Willowick
Fireworks are illegal to discharge, except during permitted fireworks displays. It’s legal to possess them.
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