Am I allowed to set off fireworks in Norway?
Yes, but only around New Year. Private individuals may set off fireworks 31 December 18:00 to 1 January 02:00 — outside that window you need a special permit. The age limit is 18 for ordinary New Year fireworks (category F2/F3), while category F1 is allowed from age 12 all year. Stick rockets have been banned since 1 January 2009, including any you still have at home. Fireworks must be CE-marked, and shops may sell them only 27–31 December. At home you may store a maximum of 10 kg over the New Year period without a permit. The municipality can impose ban zones, but not a total ban — and you carry full liability for any damage the fireworks cause.
📋 The rules
- Setting off only 31 December 18:00 to 1 January 02:00
- Age limit 18 (F1 from age 12, all year)
- Stick rockets banned since 2009
- Fireworks must be CE-marked
- Sales in shops only 27–31 December
🔓 Exceptions
- Category F1 (small effects) is allowed all year from age 12
- The municipality can impose ban zones, but not a total ban
- Special permission can be granted for setting off outside New Year
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Setting off fireworks outside the window of 31 December 18:00 to 1 January 02:00, or using stick rockets, can bring a fine or up to 3 months prison under the Fire and Explosion Act §42. The biggest cost, though, is the civil one: you carry full liability for fire and personal injury the fireworks cause, even when the accident was not intended. The age limit of 18 also applies when an adult buys or lights fireworks on behalf of someone younger, and the municipality's ban zones apply even if you keep within the permitted hours.
📎 Official sources
- DSB · Buying, selling and using fireworks →
- Pyrotechnic Articles Regulation · Lovdata →
- Fire and Explosion Act · Lovdata →
❓ Frequently asked
When can I set off fireworks?
Only 31 December from 18:00 to 1 January 02:00. Outside that window you need a special permit, and the shops themselves may only sell fireworks between 27 and 31 December — the municipality can also impose ban zones inside the lawful window.
How old must I be?
18 for ordinary New Year fireworks in categories F2 and F3. Category F1, which covers small effects, is allowed from age 12 all year, but everything you associate with New Year's Eve requires you to be 18.
Are rockets banned?
Stick rockets have been banned since 1 January 2009, and the ban covers old rockets still sitting in your storeroom. Other CE-marked fireworks are lawful within the New Year window.
Can I set off fireworks on my own property?
Yes, within the permitted hours and at a safe distance from people and buildings. The municipality may still have imposed ban zones that cover private gardens too, even though it cannot impose a total ban across the whole municipality.
Who is liable if something catches fire?
The person setting off the fireworks carries full liability for the damage. That covers both fire and personal injury, and the liability follows you even if the fireworks were lawfully bought and set off within the permitted hours.
🔎 Common searches
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