Is It Legal to Set Off Fireworks on New Year’s Eve in Indiana?
Most of us will ring in the new year with friends and family either at someone's house or at a popular bar. Wherever you plan on celebrating, chances are there will be at least one TV playing one of the many televised New Year's Eve countdown shows featuring celebrities and musicians in a big city counting down the minutes until the ball drops. Most, if not all, of those countdowns, will feature a fireworks show as the clock strikes midnight and the new year begins. But, what about those of us in Indiana? Can we ring in the new year with our own fireworks display?
What Indiana Law Says About Shooting Fireworks on New Year's Eve
Why should all the people in the big cities have all the fun, am I right? If we want to pop off a few Roman Candles, or any one of the (fake) fireworks Joe Dirt rattled off to start the new year off with a bang, we should be able to, right? Right.
Well, good news! The state of Indiana agrees with you. Ok, so I don't know for sure if they agree with you, but they don't mind you doing it which is close enough.
According to the Indiana State Police:
Fireworks may be discharged only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. any day except on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and New Years' Eve when the times are 9:00 a.m. to midnight. It is important to check with local officials, as local ordinances may restrict the use of fireworks.
There are a couple of important things to note in that statement. The first is that as far as the state is concerned, you don't have to wait for a holiday to shoot fireworks. You can do it any day of the year as long as you stay within the timeframe listed.
The second is before you light the first fuse, you should check with your local authorities to see what their rules are. Even though the state may be cool with it, your local government may not be or may have a different timeframe you're allowed to use them.
Other Important Things to Know About Indiana's Fireworks Laws
Here are the other things you need to know from the Indiana State Police to keep yourself out of trouble when shooting fireworks on New Year's Eve, or any other day for that matter.
- Only individuals 18 years of age or older may purchase fireworks.
- A person 18 years of age or older must be present when anyone younger than 18 is using or possessing fireworks.
- Fireworks may be used only on the user’s property, the property of someone who granted permission for fireworks to be discharged, or a place designated by the Indiana State Fire Marshal for the discharge of consumer fireworks.
The ISP also says violating the law can be charged with a class "C" infraction. That gets kicked up to a class A misdemeanor if you cause property damage, a Level 6 felony if someone sustains a bodily injury, or a Level 5 felony if someone dies.
So, have your fun, but be careful and make sure you're staying within the rules of the law.
Happy New Year!
[Source: Indiana State Police]
SEE: 35 Personalized License Plates the Indiana BMV Rejected
- Carries a meaning or connotation offensive to good taste and decency;
- Would be misleading; or
- The BMV otherwise considers improper for issuance.