Personal Fireworks Displays Not Allowed in Lake Saint Louis, Limited in St. Charles County

If you live in Lake Saint Louis and were planning to hold your own fireworks display to celebrate the Fourth of July, you may want to think twice. That’s because the sale, use and possession of fireworks in the city limits of Lake Saint Louis is illegal.

Lake Saint Louis ordinances list "ground and hand-held sparkling devices, items commonly known as dipped sticks, sparklers, cylindrical fountains, cone fountains, illuminating torches, wheels, ground spinners, flitter sparklers, helicopters, aerials, spinners, Roman candles, mines shells, blank cartridges, toy pistols, toy canons, toy canes, toy guns in which explosives are used, the type of rockets which require fire underneath to propel them, firecrackers, torpedoes, salutes, chasers, skyrockets, missile-type rockets and pipe bombs" as among the types of prohibited fireworks.

In unincorporated St. Charles, Franklin and Jefferson counties, the use and sale of fireworks is permitted. 

The only major city that allows personal fireworks displays is St. Charles, and use is limited. Within the city of St. Charles, fireworks may be set off between the hours of 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. on July 3-4 only.

In O'Fallon PR director Tom Drabelle said the city has received inquiries about fireworks tents on Highway K and Bryan Road. Drabelle said these tents are actually in unincorporated areas of St. Charles County, not in O'Fallon. 

City Bans in St. Charles County

• Wentzville
• St. Peters
• O'Fallon
• Lake Saint Louis

State Regulations

If you do plan on using fireworks to celebrate the holiday, the state has several regulations regarding ignitions. In Missouri, it is illegal to:

• Set off fireworks within 600 feet of any church, hospital, mental health facility or school or within 100 feet of where fireworks are stored or sold;
• Ignite fireworks within 300 feet of any gas station or where gas is permanently stored;
• Throw fireworks from or into a motorized vehicle including watercraft or at or near any person.

Additionally, the National Council on Fireworks Safety recommends the following common sense tips on using fireworks:

• Only use fireworks outdoors;
• Be sure to have a water supply nearby;
• Wear safety glasses;
• Read the instructions on the fireworks carefully and follow the directions;
• Avoid alcohol;
• Don’t try to relight a dud firework;
• Soak spent fireworks with water before placing them in the trash;
• Don’t use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.

For more tips, visit the council’s website.

Other Areas

The sale, use and possession of fireworks in St. Louis County also is illegal.

“The ban also includes all 91 municipalities included within the county,” said Mac Scott, a county spokesperson. “Violation of the law could cost between $50 and $1,000. The fee is at the discretion of the judge.”