---
title: Sooke fireworks rules
question: "Are fireworks allowed in Sooke?"
place: Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/sooke
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Sooke
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/fireworks/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/fireworks.json"
---

# Sooke fireworks rules

**Question:** Are fireworks allowed in Sooke?

**Short answer:** In Sooke, consumer fireworks may be set off only on October 31, between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., and only with a permit. Selling fireworks is banned, and no one under 18 may hold or use them. Firecrackers and prohibited fireworks are banned outright.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Sooke, https://sooke.ca)  
**Cost:** Consumer fireworks permit $20; display fireworks permit $150. Fines from $100 to $500.  
**How long:** Apply 30 days before the event.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Sooke Fire Rescue, 250-642-5422

## Key facts

- **Setting off fireworks:** Consumer fireworks may be set off only on October 31 between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., and only with a permit. Anyone setting off consumer or display fireworks needs a permit. Under-18s may not hold or use any fireworks. Firecrackers and prohibited fireworks are banned. Fireworks may not be used in a way that increases the risk of injury or damage.
  - Source: [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286, ss. 3.3-3.9, 4.1](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person may discharge consumer fireworks except on October 31st of each" … "year between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m." … "No person may hold, possess, store, discharge, or otherwise use consumer" … "fireworks or display fireworks without a permit." … "No person under the age of eighteen (18) years may hold, possess, store," … "No person may buy, sell, hold, possess, store, discharge, or otherwise use" … "firecrackers."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Selling fireworks:** No. No person may sell fireworks.
  - Source: [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286, s. 3.1](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person may sell fireworks."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What counts as fireworks:** 'Fireworks' means consumer, display and pyrotechnic special effects fireworks. Consumer fireworks include fountains, Roman candles, pin wheels and volcanoes but not Christmas crackers, sparklers or caps for toy guns. Firecrackers (devices that explode with no display) and listed 'prohibited fireworks' (for example cherry bombs, M-80s, smoke bombs) are banned outright. Signalling flares for motorists, boaters, police and railways are exempt.
  - Source: [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286, s. 2](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "includes fireworks showers, fountains, golden rain, lawn lights, pin wheels, Roman" … "candles, and volcanoes but does not include Christmas crackers, sparklers, and" … "caps for toy guns;" … "Firecracker means a pyrotechnic device that explodes when ignited and does not" … "make any subsequent display or visible effect after the explosion"
  - Source: [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286, s. 8](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw does not prohibit or regulate the use of torpedoes, flares, fuzzes or" … "similar pyrotechnic devices by motorists, boat operator, railroads, police or other"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit:** Anyone 18 or older must apply for and receive a permit before discharging consumer or display fireworks, with a Certification Card (Fireworks Supervisor Level 1 or 2), and the application must be in by the stated deadlines (30 days before the event; the bylaw also says noon on October 31 for consumer events). Application is to the municipality (Fire Department (250) 642-5422). Fees: consumer fireworks permit $20; display fireworks permit $150. Pyrotechnic special effects events need a Fire Chief permit, fire safety plan review ($300) and fire protection at $600/hour.
  - Source: [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286, s. 4](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Any person eighteen (18) years of age or older before discharging consumer" … "fireworks or display fireworks must apply for and receive a permit." … "as of November 1, 2006, evidence that the applicant is a Certification Card holder;" … "The required consumer fireworks permit application must be submitted no" … "later than thirty (30) days prior to the date upon which the consumer"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 752, Schedule 6](https://www.sooke.ca/media/fm0fpxls/fees-charges-bylaw-no-752-consolidated-october2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Consumer Fireworks Permit $20.00" … "Display Fireworks Permit $150.00" … "Fire Safety Plan Review $300.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: selling fireworks $500; possessing prohibited fireworks $100; possessing firecrackers $100; possessing fireworks without a permit $200; discharge outside the permitted period $100; unsafe discharge $200; underage possession $100; allowing underage possession $100; pyrotechnics without a permit $200; contravening a pyrotechnics permit $500; obstructing a peace officer $250.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836, Schedule B8](https://www.sooke.ca/media/qnrli50n/836-municipal-ticket-information-bylaw-consolidated-july-16-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "3.1 Sale of fireworks $500.00" … "3.4 Possess fireworks without $200.00" … "3.5 Discharge outside $100.00" … "3.7 Unsafe discharge $200.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Bylaw No. 286, Fireworks Regulation Bylaw, 2007
  - Source: [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286, s. 1](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw is cited as Bylaw No. 286, Fireworks Regulation Bylaw, 2007"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf), anyone setting off consumer or display fireworks needs a permit. Consumer fireworks (fountains, Roman candles, pin wheels, volcanoes) may be set off only on October 31 between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Christmas crackers, sparklers and caps for toy guns are not counted. Signalling flares for motorists, boaters, police and railways are exempt.

## Steps

1. Be 18 or older, and hold a Certification Card (Fireworks Supervisor Level 1 or 2).
2. Apply to the District before the deadline. The bylaw says 30 days before the event, and also says noon on October 31 for consumer events. Phone Sooke Fire Rescue at 250-642-5422.
3. Pay the fee: $20 for consumer fireworks, $150 for display fireworks.

## Good to know

- No person may sell fireworks. "Sell" includes offering for sale or possessing for sale.
- People under 18 may not hold or use any fireworks. Firecrackers (devices that explode with no display) and listed prohibited fireworks (such as cherry bombs, M-80s and smoke bombs) are banned.
- Fireworks may not be used in a way that increases the risk of injury or damage. If the land is not yours, the permit needs the property owner's agreement.
- Pyrotechnic special effects events need a Fire Chief permit, a fire safety plan review ($300) and fire protection at $600/hour.
- Municipal tickets: selling fireworks $500; possessing without a permit $200; unsafe discharge $200; discharge outside the permitted period $100; possessing prohibited fireworks or firecrackers $100; underage possession $100.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286 (PDF)](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Sooke backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/backyard-fire.md)
- [Sooke noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/noise-rules.md)
- [Sooke bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fireworks rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fireworks.md)
- [Metchosin](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/fireworks.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/fireworks.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/fireworks.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/fireworks.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/fireworks.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/fireworks.md)

## Sources

- [Fireworks Regulation Bylaw No. 286 (PDF), District of Sooke](https://www.sooke.ca/media/pyyc0zmv/fireworks-regulation-bylaw-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 752 (PDF), District of Sooke](https://www.sooke.ca/media/fm0fpxls/fees-charges-bylaw-no-752-consolidated-october2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836 (PDF), District of Sooke](https://www.sooke.ca/media/qnrli50n/836-municipal-ticket-information-bylaw-consolidated-july-16-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Sooke. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/fireworks/_