SOUTHEASTERN, N.C. — Not to burst your Fourth of July bubble, but if you were planning on putting on your own fireworks show, think twice.
Considered a class 2 misdemeanor, it’s illegal for untrained individuals to set off most fireworks in North Carolina. If caught and charged, you could be fined up to $500 and spend up to six months in jail.
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Some fireworks are allowed; this includes explosive caps fired within toy pistols, snake and glow worms, smoke devices, trick noisemakers, party and string poppers, wire sparklers, and other sparkling devices that do not spin, detonate, or explode.
Fireworks that detonate, explode, spin, and can propel themselves into the air are illegal. This includes roman candles, bottle rockets, firecrackers, and anything that leaves the ground.
If the fireworks are set off indoors, the incident drops to a class 1 misdemeanor. Still, handling fireworks can be dangerous and best left to a trained professional. Last year, 10,000 people in the U.S. were hospitalized for firework-related injuries and 12 people died.
