South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue
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Fireworks and explosives licensing

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority licences the storage of fireworks and explosives. In nearly all cases, where an individual or business is acquiring, keeping, transferring, storing and/or manufacturing explosives, an explosives licence will be required.

What is an explosives licence?

An explosives licence is a document that allows the holder to store and/or manufacture explosives in a suitable premises. The holder of an explosives licence is the person that makes sure the licensing conditions are being met.

Applying for an explosives licence

If you are applying for an explosives licence for the first time, or for a new premises, part of the application process will include a Fire Safety Audit under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by one of our inspecting officers. This is to ensure the premises is broadly compliant with that legislation before it is considered suitable for the storage of fireworks.

Where this is a first time application by an individual we will also carry out a check through South Yorkshire Police to ensure the applicant is a fit and proper person to store fireworks. This is based on the requirements of Regulation 20, of the Explosive Regulations 2014.

Please note that we may require a minimum of 28 days to carry out the administration for you to obtain a fireworks storage licence from the date of initial application.

If you are intending to store more than 2,000kg of Net Explosive Content (NEC) of fireworks or if you intend to store explosives in mines, you must apply for a licence from the Health and Safety Executive. Further firework storage information is available from them, here.

For queries, e-mail tfs.cs@syfire.gov.uk or call us on 0114 253 2923.

Please be aware that due to SYFR working in compliance with Covid-19 guidance this may have an adverse impact on the issue of a new fireworks storage licence, by adding a time delay to the issue of that licence. If you plan to request a new licence, please permit added time for the SYFR Business Fire Safety Central Support team to administer and respond to your application. As stated above you must have your premises inspected prior to the consideration of issuing a new storage licence.

Apply now

Use the following link to obtain the current SYFRA pyrotechnic articles application/fireworks/renewal form: Fireworks Storage – Application and Renewal form.

If you are licensing for the first time you will also require to be aware of the following storage licensing conditions – SYFR Conditions of Licence for the storage of fireworks.

Risk Assessment

If you intend to store fireworks/explosives you will be required to complete a Health & Safety/Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) – Risk Assessment. This process should cover:

  • Finding out what dangerous substances are in the workplace and what the risks are
  • Putting control measures in place to either remove those risks or, where this is not possible, control them
  • Putting controls in place to reduce the effects of any incidents involving dangerous substances, in this case fireworks
  • Preparing plans and procedures to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies involving dangerous substances
  • Making sure employees are properly informed about and trained to control or deal with the risks from the dangerous substances

Further information on completing a HSE/DSEAR risk assessment can be found here.

You may also find the following documents are a useful start:

Storage Fees

For the appropriate fees, please see The Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees) Regulations 2016.

Applying for a licence to sell fireworks at any time throughout the year:

Fireworks can normally only be sold at specified dates and times based on the issue of the storage licence. If as a retailer you wish to sell fireworks outside these dates you must apply for a ‘licence to supply or expose for supply’ adult fireworks.

This is an all year supply licence under the Fireworks Regulations 2004 which can be obtained from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue. The annual fee is £500. To obtain an application form please email tfs.cs@syfire.gov.uk or call 0114 253 2923.

Current Legislation

The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 require that all consumer fireworks sold in the UK must comply with Part 2 of those Regulations.

The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 specify those fireworks which may be supplied to the general public. These are listed as Category F1, F2 and F3 fireworks.

Only fireworks that comply with European Safety Standards that carry a CE mark and are correctly labelled, with details of the manufacturer and importer, can legally be supplied to consumers.

You are permitted to store fireworks that are labeled in accordance with BS7114: Part 2, until they are suitably disposed of. However since the 5 July 17 it is an offence  to supply fireworks labeled under BS 7114, as retail fireworks, to any customers by you and you should not be supplied any such fireworks by distributors or wholesalers.

Planning a Fireworks Display

If you are planning a fireworks display please be aware of the guidance available below:

Working Together on Firework Displays – The Blue Firework Guide –  This guide is specifically intended for organisers of firework displays, or events where fireworks are to be used, where the display is setup, fired and derigged by a professional display company and professional display companies as the basic information to enable them to communicate effectively with an event organiser to achieve a safe and effective display

Giving Your Own Firework Display – The Red Firework Guide – The advice in this publication covers only those firework displays, normally at pubs, clubs or charity gatherings, where the organisers set off the fireworks themselves and have no specialist knowledge.

Animals and Fireworks (RSPCA)

Concern for animals where fireworks are being used is a key issue for the RSPCA at this time off year and where ever possible SYFR support the concerns and activities of the RSPCA.

Fireworks are used by people throughout the year to mark different events. While they can bring much enjoyment to some people, they can cause significant problems and fear for other people and animals. They can be a source of fear and distress for many animals (including pet animals, farm livestock and wildlife).

Animals affected not only suffer psychological distress but can also cause themselves injuries – sometimes very serious ones – as they attempt to run away or hide from the noise.

So we would ask that if you are planning a bonfire or fireworks event or just letting fireworks off in your garden, please consider the wildlife and animals that may be affected.

This content was last updated on June 28th, 2023