🎆 When can I buy and set off fireworks in Iceland?

With conditions

Quick answer

Conditional — fireworks may only be bought and set off within a fixed window, and age limits follow the class of firework. Under the Fireworks Regulation no. 414/2017, the public may set off fireworks and hold displays 28 December to 6 January, both days included. Within that window it is nonetheless banned to fire fireworks from 22:00 to 10:00 the next morning — except on New Year's night. Purchase age limits go by class: 12 for class 1, 16 for class 2 and 18 for class 3. All handling of fireworks by children under 18 must be under adult supervision. The myth is that "any adult may buy anything and fire it whenever in December" — neither holds. Outside the window you need a police permit for a display, and firing is banned near hospitals, care homes and animal buildings.

📋 The rules

The public may set off fireworks 28 December to 6 January, both days included, under the Fireworks Regulation no. 414/2017.
Within the window it is banned to fire fireworks from 22:00 to 10:00 the next morning, except on New Year's night.
Purchase age limits: 12 (class 1), 16 (class 2) and 18 (class 3).
All handling of fireworks by children under 18 must be under adult supervision.
Outside the window an individual may not fire fireworks; a display needs a police permit, and firing is banned near hospitals, care homes and animal buildings.

🔓 Exceptions

Class 1 fireworks (e.g. sparklers and hand-held flares) have the lowest age limit, 12, and the smallest distance requirements.
At New Year bonfires only sparklers and flares may be used — not rocket flares — and care must be taken not to set dry grass alight.
A special police permit is needed for firework displays, stage performances and filming outside the general window.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Fireworks look like an innocent holiday custom, but the rules are safety rules with teeth. Selling fireworks under the age limits (12/16/18 by class), firing them outside the window or during the banned hours of 22:00–10:00, or holding a display without a police permit, are breaches of the Fireworks Regulation that can bring fines and seizure of the goods. The most serious cost is injury and property damage: eye and hand injuries and fires are a real risk, and whoever causes damage through careless handling can bear civil liability for injuries and burns. The hidden cost lies in insurance and liability: if a firework starts a fire in a house or vegetation the liability can be large, and parents can be liable for a child's damage if the child handled fireworks without the required supervision. Firing is also banned near hospitals, care homes and animal buildings, and a breach there can add to the liability if animals or vulnerable people are harmed.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

When may I set off fireworks in Iceland?

The public may set off fireworks in the period 28 December to 6 January, both days included. Even within that window it is banned to fire fireworks from 22:00 in the evening to 10:00 the next morning, except on New Year's night when an exemption applies.

How old must I be to buy fireworks?

The age limits go by the class of firework: 12 for class 1, 16 for class 2 and 18 for class 3. In addition, all handling of fireworks by children under 18 must take place under adult supervision, regardless of who bought them.

Can I set off fireworks in June or outside New Year?

No, individuals may not fire fireworks outside the 28 December to 6 January window. For displays at other times, for example at festivities, you need a special police permit, and the same applies to stage performances and filming.

What may be used at a New Year bonfire?

At a bonfire and its immediate surroundings only sparklers and flares may be used, not rocket flares or larger fireworks. Care must be taken not to set dry grass alight or start a vegetation fire, and to keep a safe distance from buildings and sensitive vegetation.

Who is liable if a firework causes damage?

Whoever handles a firework carelessly can bear civil liability for any injury or fire that results, and parents can be liable for a child's damage. On top of that, breaches of the Fireworks Regulation, such as selling under age or firing during the banned hours, can bring fines and seizure.

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