Licence summary
To run wholesale and retail premises that store and/or sell fireworks of up to 2 tonnes (net explosives content), you must be licensed with the Falkirk Council Trading Standards (or in former Metropolitan Authorities, the Fire and Rescue Service) in England, Scotland and Wales.
In Northern Ireland you need to register with the Northern Ireland Office.
To run wholesale or retail premises storing more than 2 tonnes (net explosives content), you need a licence from the Health & Safety Executive.
- Fees will be payable for a licence.
- Conditions may be attached to a licence.
Eligibility criteria
No provision under legislation.
Regulation summary
Application evaluation process
Falkirk Council must have regard to the need to minimise the risk that fireworks will be used with harmful consequences for people, animals or property, when considering an application for allowing the storage of fireworks.
Any application for a licence received by Falkirk Council will be processed as quickly as possible and, in any event, within a period of 2 weeks. This period will run from the time that all of the required information has been submitted.
Fees
Section D charges are set by the Health & Safety Executive or prescribed by Regulation and are exempt from VAT.
| Fee type |
1 year |
2 years |
3 years |
| Licence to store explosives where, by virtue of regulation 27 of, and Schedule 5 to, the 2014 Regulations, no minimum separation distance or a 0 meters separation distance is prescribed |
£119.00 |
£154.00 |
£190.00 |
| Renewal of licence to store explosives where, by virtue of regulation 27 of, and Schedule 5 to, the 2014 Regulations, no minimum separation distance or a 0 meters minimum separation distance is prescribed |
£59.00 |
£94.00 |
£132.00 |
| Licence to store explosives where, by virtue of regulation 27 of and Schedule 5 to the 2014 Regulations, a minimum separation distance of greater than 0 meters is required |
£202.00 |
£266.00 |
£333.00 |
| Renewal of licence to store explosives where, by virtue of regulation 27 of, and Schedule 5 to, the 2014 Regulations, a minimum separation distance of greater than 0 meters is prescribed |
£94.00 |
£161.00 |
£226.00 |
| Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 2005 Licence to supply fireworks all year round
|
£500 |
Will tacit consent apply?
No. It is in the public interest that Falkirk Council must process your application before it can be granted.
If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks, please contact us.
How to apply
To apply for an application for a fireworks storage licence, you can complete the form below and send it to Falkirk Council by email or post:
Failed application and licence holder redress
Please contact us in the first instance.
If anyone tries to sell you fireworks door to door, or if you know of any business selling fireworks which is not on the list of registered premises, please contact Trading Standards:
- Downloads
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Premises registered to store fireworks
DOCX file, 23.3 KB
Additional information
When you can sell fireworks
Restrictions on when it is legal to supply adult fireworks under a registration are:
| Celebration |
Selling period |
| Chinese New Year (10 February 2024) |
07 February - 10 February 2024 |
| Diwali (01 November 2024) |
28 October - 01 November 2024 |
| Guy Fawkes Night (05 November 2024) |
15 October - 10 November 2024 |
| New Year (31 December 2024) |
26 December - 31 December 2024 |
A licence for the storage of fireworks which permits their year round sale costs £500 per year.
Each premises is inspected to ensure that the storage conditions are safe and secure and the types of firework for sale are appropriate.
The law for purchasing or possessing fireworks
- It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to possess adult fireworks in a public place (category 1 fireworks and sparklers are exempt).
- The age limit for buying adult fireworks or sparklers is 18.
- Category 1 fireworks (caps, cracker snaps, novelty matches, party poppers, serpents, and throwdowns) must not be supplied to persons under 16.
- You can be fined for letting off fireworks off in a public place. The street outside is a public place, as is the Council park, the bus station, the schoolyard, the football stadium or the youth centre.
- It is illegal to break open retail packs of fireworks and sell them individually.
- Any breach of the curfew times or these rules should be reported to Police Scotland.
The Firework Safety Code
- Only buy fireworks labelled with a CE mark.
- Don't drink alcohol if setting off fireworks.
- Keep fireworks in a closed box.
- Follow the instructions on each firework.
- Light them at arm's length, using a taper.
- Stand well back.
- Never go near a firework that has been lit. Even if it doesn't go off, it could still explode.
- Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them.
- Always supervise children around fireworks.
- Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves.
- Never give sparklers to a child under 5.
- Keep pets indoors.
Curfew times
It is illegal to set fireworks off between 11:00pm and 6:00am except in the following cases:
- 5th November: it is permitted to let off fireworks until midnight.
- New Year's Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali: it is permitted to let off fireworks until 1:00am on the following day.