Nevada Fireworks Laws (2026): County-by-County Regulation

Nevada has no general statute declaring any class of fireworks legal or illegal statewide. Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367 delegates that decision entirely to each county's board of commissioners, which sets its own ordinance on sale, use, storage, and possession, subject to a mandatory civil-penalty band the state statute itself fixes.

Jurisdiction scope: This article addresses Nevada's state-level fireworks framework: the county-ordinance delegation and its mandatory civil-penalty band under Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367, the separate wildfire-area permit requirement under § 472.520, and the statewide State Fire Marshal display-license and regulatory-reach rules under §§ 477.030 and 477.033. It does not recite any individual county's fireworks ordinance; for the rule that actually applies where you live, including Clark County or Washoe County, check that county's code directly.

No Statewide Fireworks Law: Counties Decide

Nevada's legislature did not write a statewide rule saying which fireworks are legal. It authorized counties to write their own:

"Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the board of county commissioners shall have power and jurisdiction in their respective counties to pass ordinances: (a) Prohibiting, restricting, suppressing or otherwise regulating the sale, use, storage and possession of fireworks; and (b) Providing for the imposition of criminal or civil penalties, or both, for the violation thereof."

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367(1)

Because the statute grants counties this authority rather than setting a statewide default, there is no single statewide answer to what fireworks are legal to buy, sell, or use in Nevada. That answer is set by the county ordinance where you are, and this article does not attempt to summarize any specific county's rule.

The Mandatory Civil-Penalty Band

Even though a county decides whether to regulate fireworks at all, state law caps what a civil penalty under that ordinance can be:

"A civil penalty imposed pursuant to such an ordinance must not be: (1) In an amount less than $250 or more than $1,000 for a violation involving less than 100 pounds in gross weight of fireworks, including packaging; (2) In an amount less than $1,000 or more than $5,000 for a violation involving not less than 100 pounds or more than 5,000 pounds in gross weight of fireworks, including packaging; (3) In an amount less than $5,000 or more than $10,000 for a violation involving more than 5,000 pounds in gross weight of fireworks, including packaging; or (4) Imposed against a person who has been issued a license or permit pursuant to the ordinance."

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367(1)(b)

A county's criminal penalty for the same conduct is not capped this way; § 244.367 leaves the criminal-penalty amount to the ordinance itself, and requires only that the ordinance set factors accounting for the number and severity of a person's previous violations, under § 244.367(2)(b).

Licensing Runs Through the County or City

An ordinance a county adopts under § 244.367 has to route any required sale license or permit to a specific authority:

"An ordinance passed pursuant to subsection 1 must: (a) Provide that any license or permit that may be required for the sale of fireworks must be issued by the licensing authority for: (1) The county, if the fireworks are sold within the unincorporated areas of the county; or (2) A city located within the county, if the fireworks are sold within the jurisdiction of that city."

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367(2)(a)

Under-18 Enforcement Limit, Not a Purchase-Age Floor

Nevada's only age-linked fireworks provision runs the opposite direction from a purchase-age minimum:

"An ordinance passed pursuant to subsection 1 must not apply to a child under the age of 18 years unless the child is emancipated."

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367(3)

That caps who a county's ordinance can enforce against; it does not itself set a statewide floor on who may buy fireworks. A specific county ordinance may still set its own purchase-age rule within that limit.

Wildfire-Area Permit Requirement, Statewide

Separate from the county-option chapter, Nevada bans setting off fireworks in forest, grass, or brush areas outside incorporated cities and towns without a written permit:

"Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 527.126, it is unlawful for any person, firm, association, corporation or agency to burn, or cause to be burned, any brush, grass, logs or any other inflammable material, or blast with dynamite, powder or other explosive, or set off fireworks, or operate a welding torch, tarpot or any other device that may cause a fire in forest, grass or brush... unless the burning or act is done under a written permit from the State Forester Firewarden or the State Forester Firewarden's duly authorized agent and in strict accordance with the terms of the permit."

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 472.520(1)

Written permission is not required when the State Forester Firewarden has determined no fire hazard exists, for screened or approved incinerators under specific safety conditions, or for certain annual permits covering public-utility or agricultural work, under § 472.520(2)-(3). The section applies only to areas outside incorporated cities and towns, and a violation is a misdemeanor, under § 472.520(5)-(6).

Commercial Display License: The One Piece Set at the State Level

A commercial public fireworks display needs its own state license, regardless of county:

"A license, issued by the State Fire Marshal, is required for: ... (c) Commercial fireworks displays. Applications for licenses must be made on a form prescribed by the State Fire Marshal. The State Fire Marshal may conduct inspections, examinations or hearings before the issuance of licenses. The State Fire Marshal may charge a reasonable fee, to be fixed by regulation, for the inspection and issuance of licenses."

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 477.033

A person denied a license is entitled to a hearing before a hearing officer on request, under § 477.033(5).

Clark County and Washoe County Are Outside State Fire Marshal Enforcement Reach

The State Fire Marshal adopts regulations on fireworks storage and use that apply statewide, but the authority to enforce them has a specific carve-out:

"Except as otherwise provided in this section, the State Fire Marshal shall enforce all laws and adopt regulations relating to: ... (b) The storage and use of: (1) Combustibles, flammables and fireworks... [T]he regulations of the State Fire Marshal apply throughout the State, but ... the State Fire Marshal's authority to enforce them or conduct investigations under this chapter does not extend to a school district... or a county whose population is 100,000 or more or which has been converted into a consolidated municipality, except in those local jurisdictions in those counties where the State Fire Marshal is requested to exercise that authority by the chief officer of the organized fire department of that jurisdiction or except as otherwise provided in a regulation adopted pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 2."

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 477.030(1)

Clark County, home to Las Vegas, and Washoe County, home to Reno, are the two Nevada counties that meet that population threshold. The State Fire Marshal's regulations still apply there; what the statute removes is the Fire Marshal's authority to enforce them or investigate, unless a local fire chief requests it. Local sale and use rules come from each county's ordinance adopted under § 244.367 and from city code. This article does not summarize either county's ordinance; check Clark County's or Washoe County's own code directly for the rule that applies there.

Federal Law

Federal law sets the floor: 16 CFR 1500.17 and Part 1507 define which consumer devices may be sold at all; 27 CFR 555.141(a)(7) exempts the importation, distribution and storage of consumer fireworks from ATF licensing (manufacture is not exempt); 18 U.S.C. 836 makes it a federal offense, punishable by up to one year, to transport fireworks into any state whose law specifically prohibits or regulates their use, in violation of that law, except in the course of continuous interstate transportation, with exceptions for common carriers, water carriers and federal agencies; and USPS Publication 52 § 341.22 bars fireworks from the mail entirely.

Because Nevada's own device rules are set county by county, a device legal under a Nevada county's ordinance can still become a federal transportation offense to carry into a different state, or another Nevada county's jurisdiction, whose own law prohibits or regulates its use.

For the broader regional picture, see the fireworks laws by state comparison.

If you are also researching Nevada's roadside rules, see Nevada's open container laws.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about Nevada's state-level fireworks framework as of September 2026. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for your county's own ordinance. Nevada fireworks rules are set almost entirely at the county and city level and vary significantly across the state; verify the current rule for your specific county or city, including Clark County or Washoe County, before buying, selling, or using fireworks, and consult a lawyer licensed in Nevada for advice about a specific situation.

Statutes cited reflect their in-force version as of 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-17.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are fireworks legal in Nevada?

Nevada has no general statewide statute making fireworks legal or illegal. Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367 lets each county's board of commissioners decide by its own ordinance, so the answer depends on the county.

Does Nevada have a statewide fireworks law?

Not one that sets device, sale, or use rules directly. NRS 244.367 delegates that decision to counties, subject to a mandatory civil-penalty band the state itself sets. Two narrower statewide rules exist separately: a forest and brush-area discharge permit requirement under NRS 472.520, and a State Fire Marshal license requirement for commercial public displays under NRS 477.033.

What is the penalty for violating a county fireworks ordinance in Nevada?

It depends on the county and whether the ordinance imposes a criminal or civil penalty. A civil penalty is capped by state law at $250 to $1,000 for less than 100 pounds gross weight of fireworks, $1,000 to $5,000 for 100 to 5,000 pounds, and $5,000 to $10,000 for more than 5,000 pounds, under Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367(1)(b). A criminal penalty amount is left to the county ordinance.

Is there an age minimum to buy fireworks in Nevada?

State law does not set a statewide purchase-age floor. It instead bars a county ordinance from applying to anyone under 18 unless that child is legally emancipated, under Nev. Rev. Stat. § 244.367(3). A specific county ordinance may set its own purchase-age rule.

Can you set off fireworks in a Nevada forest or wildfire area?

Not without a written permit from the State Forester Firewarden. Setting off fireworks, or burning brush or grass, in a forest, grass, or brush area outside an incorporated city or town without that permit is a misdemeanor under Nev. Rev. Stat. § 472.520.

Where can I find the actual fireworks rules for Las Vegas or Reno?

Mainly in Clark County's or Washoe County's own county code and the relevant city's code. Both counties have a population large enough that the State Fire Marshal's authority to enforce its regulations under NRS 477.030 does not extend there unless a local fire chief requests it, and each county sets its own fireworks rules by ordinance adopted pursuant to NRS 244.367.