---
title: Victoria fireworks rules
question: "Are fireworks allowed?"
place: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/victoria
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Victoria
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/fireworks/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/fireworks.json"
---

# Victoria fireworks rules

**Question:** Are fireworks allowed?

**Short answer:** Only with a permit. Under Victoria's Fireworks Bylaw 07-070, nobody may fire fireworks without a permit from the Fire Chief, and the bylaw sets no dates or hours for residents. Possessing them also needs a permit, and only wholesalers may sell them. The fine is $400.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Victoria, https://www.victoria.ca)  
**Cost:** Permit $100 per event (no fee for City-sponsored events or events by local not-for-profit community associations). Fine for possessing or firing without a permit: $400. Selling without a permit: $500 on a bylaw notice, $750 on a municipal ticket.  
**How long:** Apply at least 14 days before the event.  
**Where:**
- Online: Fireworks Bylaw 07-070 (PDF), https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070

## Key facts

- **Setting off fireworks:** Only with a permit. A person may fire or discharge fireworks only if authorized by a permit; the bylaw sets no dates or hours for residents. Possessing fireworks also needs a current permit unless the person is a wholesaler.
  - Source: [Fireworks Bylaw 07-070 (consolidated to March 1, 2015), ss. 8, 9](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070)
  - Official wording: "A person may fire or discharge fireworks only if that is authorized by a permit." … "A person who is not a wholesaler must not possess fireworks without a current permit."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Selling fireworks:** Only wholesalers may offer for sale, sell, give or trade fireworks. A wholesaler is a permit holder in bulk sales under a City business licence; retail sale to the general public is excluded from that definition.
  - Source: [Fireworks Bylaw 07-070 (consolidated to March 1, 2015), ss. 2, 7](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070)
  - Official wording: "A person who is not a wholesaler must not offer for sale, sell, give, or trade fireworks." … "does not include a person engaged in the retail sale of fireworks to the general public."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What counts as fireworks:** "Fireworks" means Class 7 fireworks under the Explosives Regulation (Canada). It does not include sparklers, Christmas crackers, caps for toy guns, model rocket engines, or highway flares and small distress signals.
  - Source: [Fireworks Bylaw 07-070 (consolidated to March 1, 2015), s. 2](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070)
  - Official wording: "means the "Class 7" fireworks in the Explosives Regulation (Canada) or its successor regulation;" … "does not include sparklers, Christmas crackers, caps for toy guns, model"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit:** The Fire Chief may grant or refuse a permit. Apply at least 14 days before the event with proof of a Fireworks Supervisor Certificate, $5 million liability insurance, and a site plan. Fee $100 per event; no fee for City-sponsored events or events by local not-for-profit community associations. Site re-inspection $100.
  - Source: [Fireworks Bylaw 07-070 (consolidated to March 1, 2015), ss. 4, Schedule A](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070)
  - Official wording: "be submitted to the Fire Chief at least 14 days before the date of the event for which the permit is required;" … "include proof of a valid Fireworks Supervisor Certificate;" … "Permit $100 per event" … "-events sponsored by the City no fee" … "Site re-inspection $100"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice (Bylaw 16-017): $400 for possessing or firing fireworks without a permit (ss. 8, 9), $300 within 14 days; $500 for selling without a permit (s. 7). Municipal ticket (Bylaw 10-071): $400 ($350 within 30 days); selling $750. Court penalty $200 to $10,000 (s. 12). (Sources differ: Under Bylaw 16-017 Schedule P the sale offence (s. 7) is $500 (not $750), and the $400 offences are $100 off within 14 days. The bylaw also sets a $200 minimum and $10,000 maximum penalty on conviction (s. 12) and an incident service fee of $500 per hour per unit (minimum 3 hours) if misuse causes a fire department call.)
  - Source: [Ticket Bylaw 10-071 (consolidated June 18, 2026), Schedule R](https://www.victoria.ca/media/635)
  - Official wording: "Possess fireworks 8 $400.00 $350.00" … "Fire/discharge 9 $400.00 $350.00" … "Offer for 7 $750.00 $750.00"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Adjudication Bylaw 16-017, Schedule B, Schedule P](https://www.victoria.ca/media/2923)
  - Official wording: "8 Possess fireworks without permit $400.00 $100.00 $100.00" … "Offer for sale/sell/give/trade" … "Possess fireworks without permit $400.00 $100.00 $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Fireworks Bylaw No. 07-070
  - Source: [Fireworks Bylaw 07-070 (consolidated to March 1, 2015), Title](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070)
  - Official wording: "FIREWORKS BYLAW BYLAW NO. 07-070 This consolidation is a copy of a bylaw consolidated under the authority of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Fireworks Bylaw 07-070](<https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070>), a person may fire or discharge fireworks only if authorized by a permit. The bylaw sets no dates or hours for residents. Possessing fireworks also needs a current permit unless the person is a wholesaler. Only wholesalers (permit holders in bulk sales under a City business licence) may offer for sale, sell, give or trade fireworks.

"Fireworks" means Class 7 fireworks under the federal Explosives Regulation. It does not include sparklers, Christmas crackers, caps for toy guns, model rocket engines, or highway flares and small distress signals.

## Steps

1. Apply to the Fire Chief at least 14 days before the event. The Fire Chief may grant or refuse a permit.
2. Include proof of a Fireworks Supervisor Certificate, $5 million liability insurance, and a site plan.
3. Pay the fee of $100 per event. There is no fee for City-sponsored events or events by local not-for-profit community associations. A site re-inspection is $100.

## Good to know

- Possessing or firing fireworks without a permit: a bylaw notice (Bylaw 16-017) is $400 ($300 if paid within 14 days); a municipal ticket (Bylaw 10-071) is $400 ($350 if paid within 30 days).
- Selling without a permit: a bylaw notice is $500; a municipal ticket is $750. The two schedules differ here, so confirm with the City.
- The court penalty is $200 to $10,000.
- If misuse brings out the fire department, the bylaw also sets an incident service fee of $500 per hour per unit, with a three-hour minimum.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fireworks Bylaw 07-070 (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070)

## Related questions

- [Victoria backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/backyard-fire.md)
- [Victoria bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fireworks rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fireworks.md)
- [Oak Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/fireworks.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/fireworks.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/fireworks.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/fireworks.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/fireworks.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/fireworks.md)

## Sources

- [Fireworks Bylaw 07-070 (consolidated to March 1, 2015) (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/fireworks-bylaw-07-070) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Ticket Bylaw 10-071 (consolidated June 18, 2026) (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/635) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Adjudication Bylaw 16-017, Schedule B (PDF)](https://www.victoria.ca/media/2923) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Victoria. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/fireworks/_