Minnesota Firework Laws 2020: What's Legal, What's Not

TWIN CITIES, MN — Dozens of traditional July 4 firework shows have been canceled in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area over concerns about the new coronavirus. As a result, residents may be interested in putting on their own firework shows and displays.

Some types of fireworks are legal in Minnesota, thanks to a law passed in 2002. However, if the firework you're looking at launches off the ground and goes airborne — or if it explodes — chances are it's outlawed from private use.

Examples of legal fireworks in Minnesota:

• Sparklers
• Cones and tubes that emit sparks
• Novelty items like snakes and party poppers
• Noisemakers

Examples of illegal fireworks in Minnesota:

• Firecrackers
• Bottle rockets
• Missiles
• Roman candles
• Mortars and shells

Generally, city officials want residents to avoid reporting fireworks via 911, especially around July 4.

In Minneapolis, instead of calling 911 for July 4 noise reports, people are asked to make noise reports online, call 311, or use the 311 phone app. You can also text “fireworks” to 311898 to enter a fireworks complaint on the city’s website.