Selling and storing consumer fireworks

Permits to sell and store fireworks

Do you want to sell fireworks to consumers in the Netherlands? Then you need a sales permit. You can apply for a sales permit to the municipality where you will be selling the fireworks (in Dutch).

Are you going to store fireworks? Then you need an environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning). And there are strict safety rules for storing fireworks. You can apply for an environment and planning permit via the Environment and Planning portal Omgevingsloket (in Dutch). You can also check which rules apply in your municipality in the Environment and Planning portal.

Rules for selling fireworks

Consumer fireworks are category F1 and F2 fireworks. The fireworks category is stated on the packaging. Do you sell these types of fireworks? Then you must comply with the following rules, as well as other rules:

• You must have the right permits to store and sell fireworks.
• You may only sell legal fireworks.
• You can only sell category F2 consumer fireworks on 29, 30, and 31 December. If one of these days is a Sunday, you are not allowed to sell fireworks on that day. In that case, you are allowed to sell fireworks on 28 December.
• You are allowed to sell category F1 novelty fireworks all year round. Bengal fires and sparklers may fall under category F2. This will be stated on the packaging.
• You are not allowed to sell more than 25 kilos of fireworks to a single customer.
• You may only sell fireworks if you provide protective glasses and a cotton safety wick.
• You must provide information on how to safely set off fireworks.
• You are not allowed to sell any fireworks to children under age 12.

Selling fireworks online

You are allowed to sell legal consumer fireworks of categories F1 and F2 via an online shop, but you cannot deliver the fireworks to your customer’s home address. This poses risks to the postman and the distribution centre. Your customers must pick up their fireworks from a licenced sales outlet, on the permitted sales days: 29, 30 and 31 December.

Selling fireworks to minors

Minimum ages apply to the sale of fireworks to minors:

• You are allowed to sell category F1 novelty fireworks, such as sparklers and crackling balls, to minors aged 12 and up. Note that sparklers and Bengal fires may fall under category F2 fireworks. You can check this on the fireworks’ packaging.
• You are only allowed to sell category F2 consumer fireworks, such as ground spinners and fountains, to minors aged 16 and up.

Banned consumer fireworks

You are prohibited from selling the following types of fireworks to consumers:

• category F3 and F4 fireworks. You can find the category on the label.
• firecrackers, including strings of firecrackers
• single shots and rockets
• roman candles and small rockets

Rules for your retail space

If you are selling consumer fireworks, you must comply with the following rules for your retail space:

• You are not allowed to store more than 500 kilograms of fireworks at your retail space during opening hours.
• Outside opening hours, you are allowed to store category F1 fireworks at your retail space, but no more than 200 kilograms. Outside opening hours, you are not allowed to store category F2 fireworks at your retail space. Check the labels of Bengal fires and sparklers to make sure whether or not these are category F2.
• You must make sure visitors of your shop cannot  pick up the fireworks themselves.
• You must have a sprinkler system.
• You must put the fireworks in a place where the water from the sprinkler system can reach it.
• Your retail space and the sprinkler system must comply with all safety rules (in Dutch).

Rules for storing fireworks

Do you want to store fireworks close to your retail space? You must comply with the rules for storing consumer fireworks (in Dutch). These rules include the following:

• You must apply for an environment and planning permit for the storage of fireworks via the Omgevingsloket (in Dutch).
• The minimum distance between your storage space and your retail space must be 8 meters.
• If you want to store up to 10,000 kilograms of consumer fireworks, you must file a notification via the Omgevingsloket at least 4 weeks in advance.