Procedure descriptions
Displaying the burning of pyrotechnic articles as the holder of a licence or certificate of competence
If you have a licence or a certificate of competence to handle pyrotechnic articles and wish to set off fireworks, you must notify the competent authority.
Fireworks in category F2 must be reported in the period from 2 January to 30 December. Fireworks in categories F3, F4, P1, P2, T1 and T2 all year round.
You may not set off pyrotechnic articles in the immediate vicinity of churches, hospitals, children's homes, old people's homes and other fire-sensitive buildings or facilities.
Forms/Online Services
- Abbrennen pyrotechnischer Gegenstände - Anzeige Sollte Ihre Stadt oder Gemeinde kein Formular anbieten, können Sie folgendes Muster verwenden.
Responsible authority
The municipal/city administration of the place of burning as the local police authority.
If the place of burning does not belong to a municipality, you must report it to the respective district police authority. The district police authority for large district towns is the town council, otherwise the district administration.
Note: The competent authorities under explosives law are regulated differently in each federal state. Please refer to the website of the respective federal state.
Details
Prerequisite
- valid licence for the commercial purchase and handling of pyrotechnic articles of the corresponding categories (fireworks) (§ 7 SprengG) or
- valid licence for the non-commercial purchase and handling of pyrotechnic articles of the corresponding categories (fireworks) (§ 27 SprengG) or
- valid licence for the commercial handling and circulation of pyrotechnic articles of the corresponding categories (fireworks) (§ 20 SprengG)
Procedure
Include the following information in the notification:
- Name and address of the persons responsible for setting off the fireworks as well as the number and date of the licence or certificate of competence and the issuing authority,
- Place, type and size as well as start and end of the fireworks display,
- Type and description (e.g. ground fireworks, rockets, calibre of ball bombs, cylinder bombs or bombs),
- Distances to particularly fire-sensitive buildings and installations within the maximum safety distance,
- the safety measures you plan to take, in particular barriers and other precautions to protect the neighbourhood and the general public.
Many towns and municipalities offer you a form on the Internet. If the authority responsible for you does not offer a form, you can also submit the notification informally, stating all the above information.
Deadlines
- at least two weeks before you wish to set off the fireworks
- in individual cases four weeks if you wish to set off the fireworks in the immediate vicinity of:
- Railway installations
- Airports
- Federal waterways
- Maritime waterways
Required documents
- valid licence in accordance with the Explosives Act
or
- valid licence according to the Explosives Act
Costs
The fee rates stipulated by your municipality in the fee statutes for explosives legislation apply.
Miscellaneous
Persons without a licence or certificate of competence can apply to set off category F2 fireworks for a justified reason.
You can find further information on the requirements you need to fulfil in the text"Private fireworks - applying for an exemption from the ban on setting off fireworks".
Legal basis
Erste Verordnung zum Sprengstoffgesetz (1. SprengV)
- § 23 Absatz 2 und 3
- § 7 Erlaubnis
- § 20 Befähigungsschein
- § 27 Erlaubnis zum Erwerb und zum Umgang
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Umweltministerium Baden-Württemberg, 23.07.2025