Georgia Code § 25-10-2 - Prohibited Fireworks Activities

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership to offer for sale at retail or wholesale, to use or explode or cause to be exploded, or to possess, manufacture, transport, or store any consumer fireworks or fireworks, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

(b) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership to sell consumer fireworks or any items defined in paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 25-10-1 to any person under 18 years of age.

(2) It shall be unlawful to sell consumer fireworks or any items defined in paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 25-10-1 to any person by any means other than an in-person, face-to-face sale. Such person shall provide proper identification to the seller at the time of such purchase. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "proper identification" means any document issued by a governmental agency containing a description of the person or such person's photograph, or both, and giving such person's date of birth and includes without being limited to a passport, military identification card, driver's license, or identification card authorized under Code Sections 40-5-100 through 40-5-104.

(3) (A) It shall be unlawful to use fireworks, consumer fireworks, or any items defined in paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 25-10-1 indoors.

(B) Except as provided for in subparagraph (D) of this paragraph and subject to paragraph (4) of this subsection, it shall be lawful for any person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership to use or explode or cause to be exploded any consumer fireworks on any day between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 12:00 Midnight only; provided, however, that it shall be lawful for any person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership to use or explode or cause to be exploded any consumer fireworks on January 1, July 3, July 4, and December 31 of each year between the hours of 12:00 Midnight and 2:00 A.M.

(C) Subject to paragraph (4) of this subsection, it shall be lawful for any person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership to use or explode or cause to be exploded any consumer fireworks anywhere in this state except:

(i) As provided for under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;

(ii) In any location where such person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership is not lawfully present or is not otherwise lawfully permitted to use or explode or cause to be exploded any consumer fireworks; or

(iii) Within 100 yards of a nuclear power facility or a facility engaged in the retail sale of gasoline or the production, refining, processing, or blending of gasoline for such retail purposes.

(D) Any person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership may use or explode or cause to be exploded any consumer fireworks on any day at a time not provided for under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph if such person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership is issued a special use permit pursuant to the law of a governing authority of a county or municipal corporation for the use or explosion of consumer fireworks in a location within such county or municipality at a time not provided for under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph. Such special use permit shall designate the time or times and location that such person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership may use or explode or cause to be exploded such consumer fireworks. A fee assessed by a county or municipal corporation for the issuance of a special use permit pursuant to this subparagraph shall not exceed $100.00. No governing authority or official of a county, municipality, or other political subdivision shall bear liability for any decisions made pursuant to this Code section.

(4) (A) It shall be lawful for any person 18 years of age or older to use or explode or cause to be exploded or to possess, manufacture, transport, or store consumer fireworks.

(B) To the extent otherwise permitted by law, it shall be lawful for any person who is 16 or 17 years of age to possess or transport consumer fireworks, provided that such person is serving as an assistant to a distributor licensed under subsection (c) of Code Section 25-10-5.1 or the nonprofit group benefiting from such distributor's application pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 25-10-5.1 and is not transporting such consumer fireworks on a highway which constitutes a part of The Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways.

(5) (A) It shall be lawful for any person 18 years of age or older to sell or to offer for sale at retail or wholesale any consumer fireworks pursuant to the requirements of this chapter.

(B) It shall be lawful for any person who is 16 or 17 years of age to sell or to offer for sale at retail or wholesale any consumer fireworks, provided that such person is serving as an assistant to a distributor licensed under subsection (c) of Code Section 25-10-5.1 or the nonprofit group benefiting from such distributor's application pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 25-10-5.1.

(6) (A) It shall be lawful to sell consumer fireworks from a permanent consumer fireworks retail sales facility or store only if such permanent consumer fireworks retail sales facility or store is:

(i) In compliance with the requirements for such a permanent consumer fireworks retail sales facility or store in the selling of consumer fireworks as provided for in NFPA 1124; and

(ii) Selling consumer fireworks of a distributor licensed pursuant to subsection (b) or (d) of Code Section 25-10-5.1.

(B) It shall be lawful to sell consumer fireworks from a temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stand only if such temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stand is:

(i) In compliance with the requirements for such a temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stand in the selling of consumer fireworks as provided for in NFPA 1124;

(ii) Within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant of a county, municipality, or other political subdivision or a fire department connection of a building affiliated with such consumer fireworks retail sales stand, unless the chief administrative officer of the fire department of a county, municipality, or other political subdivision or chartered fire department legally organized to operate in this state pursuant to Chapter 3 of this title and having operational authority over such location of the temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stand provides in writing that such temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stand may operate in excess of 1,000 feet from such fire hydrant or fire department connection; and

(iii) Selling consumer fireworks of a distributor licensed pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 25-10-5.1.

No distributor licensed pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 25-10-5.1 shall at any one time operate more than two temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stands for each license issued to such distributor under subsection (b) or (d) of Code Section 25-10-5.1, except that a distributor which is a retail chain and which is licensed pursuant to subsection (d) of Code Section 25-10-5.1 shall not at any one time operate more than two temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stands for each store of such retail chain. Such temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stands shall be located within the same county as the location of such permanent consumer fireworks retail sales facility or store provided for under subsection (b) or (d) of Code Section 25-10-5.1; provided, however, that if a county does not have a distributor licensed pursuant to subsection (b) or (d) of Code Section 25-10-5.1 offering consumer fireworks for sale from a permanent consumer fireworks retail sales facility or store within its boundaries, then a distributor licensed pursuant to subsection (b) or (d) of Code Section 25-10-5.1 offering consumer fireworks for sale from a permanent consumer fireworks retail sales facility or store within 75 miles of the perimeter of the boundaries of such county may locate one of the two temporary consumer fireworks retail sales stands in the unserved county.

(C) It shall be unlawful to sell consumer fireworks from any motor vehicle or from a trailer towed by a motor vehicle.

Section: 25-10-1  25-10-2  25-10-3  25-10-3.1  25-10-3.2  25-10-4  25-10-4.1  25-10-5  25-10-5.1  25-10-6  25-10-7  25-10-8  25-10-9  25-10-10    Next

Last modified: October 14, 2016