Like clockwork each Fourth of July, colorful displays of fireworks dazzle the night sky in celebration of the nation's independence. The tradition dates back hundreds of years and is often synonymous with the holiday.
While fireworks can no doubt be impressive, they're also dangerous and typically result in thousands of injuries a year.
As a result, dozens of states, including Illinois, have implemented laws restricting which types of fireworks can be purchased and set off. If you've been thinking about doing fireworks on your own, here's a breakdown from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on which types are permitted, along with which ones are prohibited:
Legal in Illinois
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The following fireworks, mainly novelty effects, are permitted under state law. However, each municipality can implement an ordinance banning such items, so you'll want to check what the situation is in your community before purchasing any items. For example, in the city of Chicago, all fireworks, including sparklers, are illegal.
- Snake or glow worm pellets
- Smoke devices
- Trick noisemakers known as "party poppers," "booby traps" or "snappers"
- Sparklers
- Toy pistols, toy canes, toy guns, or other devices in which paper or plastic caps containing twenty-five hundredths
- Grains (16 mg) or less of explosive compound are used, provided they are so constructed that the hand cannot come in contact with the cap when in place for the explosion
- Toy pistol paper or plastic caps that contain less than twenty hundredths grains (13 mg) of explosive mixture
- Single tube fountains not containing more than 75 grams total of pyrotechnic composition
- Cone fountains with 50 grams total of pyrotechnic composition or less
- Multiple-tube fountains not containing more than 500 grams total of pyrotechnic composition
- Mines, comets, parachutes, shells and fancy florals that contain a maximum of 40 grams of chemical composition and no more than 20 grams of lift charge
Illegal in Illinois
The following fireworks are prohibited in Illinois on a state level:
- Handheld fireworks
- Bottle rockets
- Skyrockets
- Roman candles
- Chasers
- Buzz bombs
- Ground items other than those that have been approved
- Helicopters
- Missiles
- Pin wheels or any other twirling device whether on the ground or mounted above the ground
- Planes
- Sky lanterns, the type of balloon which requires fire underneath to propel
- Firecrackers (all types)
