4th Of July 2025 Fireworks Laws: Here's What You Need To Know In Illinois

ILLINOIS — While revelers in our neighboring states — Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky and Iowa — are legally allowed to purchase fireworks, Illinois is one of just three states to ban most fireworks. Some exceptions — novelties including sparklers and smoke bombs — are allowed in the Land of Lincoln, but all fireworks are illegal in Chicago.

With the Fourth of July just days away, local law enforcement agencies are stepping up enforcement of these fireworks bans. The Illinois State Fire Marshal prohibits the sale, purchase, and use of other popular July 4 fireworks devices. Among the fireworks that are considered illegal by state standards are handheld fireworks, bottle rockets, skyrockets, Roman candles, chasers, buzz bombs, helicopters, missiles, sky lanterns, firecrackers and other explosive devices.

In 1942, the Illinois' Pyrotechnic Use Act was passed to prohibit most fireworks in the state. Currently, violating the law will result in a Class A misdemeanor, with fines ranging from $75 to $2,500, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshall requested hospitals and emergency treatment centers in Illinois to provide information about injuries associated with fireworks starting in January and ending in December.

During the July seasonal reporting period last year, 45 hospitals and facilities reported 98 people with 156 injuries, along with one fatality: a Chicago man who was killed while handling a firework on July 4, 2024. That's up from 108 injuries and no deaths during the same period in 2023. More than 50 percent of those who were injured suffered multiple injuries.

Related: Man Killed By Firework Was Expectant Father With 3 Children

The reported injuries were related to a wide variety of fireworks, including the following:

• mortars, 36 percent
• Roman candles, 12 percent
• sparklers, 8 percent
• bottle rockets, 8 percent
• smoke bombs, 6 percent
• firecrackers, 6 percent

Nearly 50 percent of all injuries affected hands (29 percent), head/face (14 percent) and legs (13 percent). Second-degree burns were the leading type of injury at 23 percent, followed by first-degree burns (18 percent). Lacerations accounted for 17 percent of the injuries and abrasions at 15 percent. Loss of sight increased to 11 percent from 6 percent in 2023.

Of those injured, 76 were male and 19 were female. Over half of all injuries (51 percent) occurred to persons over 22 years of age. Children’s injuries in the 11-16 age group increased to 17 from 6 the previous year. Children’s injuries in the 0-6 age group also increased to 13 from two the previous year.

In Illinois, if you're still thinking about participating with legal fireworks, those that are ground and handheld are okay, like sparkling devices, cylindrical and cone fountains, wheel and ground spinners, illuminating torches, and certain flitter sparklers.

The state fire marshal also offered a warning for pet owners.

"On the Fourth of July, many animals become so frightened by the noise and commotion of fireworks that they run from otherwise familiar environments and people, and sadly become lost. They may also suffer devastating or even fatal health effects from the stress. The sudden bright flashes and sounds can cause wild animals to run into roadways, resulting in more car accidents than normal. Wildlife rehabilitation centers are often flooded with traumatized, injured and orphaned wild animals after the holiday. Keep the tips listed below in mind to keep your furry family members safe and calm during the 4th of July."

What's legal, what's not in Illinois

The following fireworks are prohibited for purchase in Illinois:

• Handheld fireworks
• Bottle rockets
• Skyrockets
• Roman candles
• Chasers
• Buzz bombs
• Ground items other than those identified as Approved Consumer Fireworks
• 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 same
• Firecrackers (all types)

Exceptions – and legal to purchase by Illinois residents — are:

• snake or glow worm pellets;
• smoke devices;
• trick noisemakers known as "party poppers", "booby traps", "snappers", "trick matches", "cigarette loads", and
"auto burglar alarms";
• 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.