What Cities are Opting Out of the New Fireworks Law in Ohio?
Posted in In the news, Leisure on June 14, 2022
As of July 1, 2022, Ohioans can legally set off consumer-grade fireworks on private property. The law specifies that fireworks only be set off on certain holidays, about 20 days a year. The permitted days include:
- New Year’s Eve
- New Year’s Day
- Chinese New Year
- Diwali
- Cinco de Mayo
- Juneteenth
- Memorial Day weekend
- Labor Day weekend
- July 3, 4, 5, and the three-day weekends (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) surrounding July 4.
Using fireworks under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances is prohibited—anyone who violates this is guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor.
Which cities are opting out of the new law?
If you are cited for discharging fireworks in the following cities, it is a first-degree misdemeanor*:
- Akron
- Albany
- Amherst
- Aurora
- Avon Lake
- Barberton
- Bay Village
- Beavercreek
- Bedford
- Berea
- Bexley
- Brecksville
- Broadview Heights
- Brook Park
- Brunswick
- Canal Winchester
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Cleveland Heights
- Columbus
- Concord Township
- Dayton
- Delaware
- Dublin
- Eastlake
- Euclid
- Fairborn
- Fairfield
- Fairport Harbor
- Fostoria
- Gahanna
- Germantown
- Grandview Heights
- Grove City
- Groveport
- Highland Heights
- Hilliard
- Kettering
- Lakewood
- Lorain
- Only allowing the discharge of fireworks on July 4, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, and New Year’s Eve.
- Lyndhurst
- Madison Township
- Mansfield
- Likely to opt-out
- Marysville
- Mayfield Heights
- Mayfield Village
- Medina
- Mentor
- Possession is legal, discharge is illegal
- Mentor-on-the-Lake
- Middleburg Heights
- Mogadore
- Newburgh Heights
- North Olmsted
- North Royalton
- Oakwood
- Oberlin
- Orange
- Parma
- Parma Heights
- Pataskala
- Pepper Pike
- Perry Village
- Pickerington
- Powell
- Richmond Heights
- Rocky River
- Sandusky
- Only allowing the discharge of fireworks on Memorial Day, July 3 – 5, and New Year’s Eve until 11:59 p.m.
- Seven Hills
- Shaker Heights
- Silver Lake
- South Euclid
- Strongsville
- Tallmadge
- Toledo
- Twinsburg
- University Heights
- Upper Arlington
- Vandalia
- Vermillion
- Wadsworth
- Warrensville Heights
- Westerville
- Westlake
- Willoughby Hills
- Worthington
*The following list will be updated pending the signing of new legislation.
Safety tips for using legal fireworks
If you live in an area where it’s legal to use consumer-grade fireworks, follow these tips from the National Safety Council to keep you and your family safe:
- Don’t let younger children use fireworks
- Supervise older children while they use fireworks
- Avoid using fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs. While dangerous to do, it’s also illegal
- Make sure only to use fireworks away from any people, animals, houses, and flammable material
- Don’t aim or point fireworks in the direction of objects or people
- Maintain a safe distance after igniting
- Keep lit fireworks out of containers
- Never handle or try to re-light malfunctioning fireworks
- Soak used and unused fireworks in water before throwing away
- Keep a bucket of water nearby to douse malfunctioning fireworks or in case of fire
- Never use illegal fireworks