Fireworks are almost entirely illegal in Riverside County. Every type of firework, including sparklers, is banned in the unincorporated areas of the county, and most cities within the county enforce their own total bans on top of that.1Riverside County Sheriff. Fireworks A small group of cities permit state-approved “safe and sane” fireworks during a short window around the Fourth of July, and nothing else is legal anywhere in the county at any time.
Where Safe and Sane Fireworks Are Allowed
As of 2025, four cities in Riverside County permit residents to buy and use safe and sane fireworks: Desert Hot Springs, Indio, and Coachella in the Coachella Valley, and Blythe. Each sets its own hours. Indio allows use between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. Desert Hot Springs allows sales through 10 p.m. on July 4. Coachella cuts off sales at noon on July 5.
Only fireworks carrying the California State Fire Marshal’s classification label qualify as safe and sane.2California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 12529 – Safe and Sane Fireworks These are non-aerial, non-explosive items like small fountains, ground spinners, and short sparklers. If the package doesn’t carry that label, it isn’t legal anywhere in California, no matter where you bought it.
California law allows retail sales of safe and sane fireworks only from noon on June 28 through noon on July 6 each year. Cities may shorten that window, and several in Riverside County do, so check the cutoff in your city before buying.
Where All Fireworks Are Banned
Everywhere else in Riverside County, fireworks of every kind are illegal. The cities of Riverside, Corona, and Murrieta all enforce complete bans. Corona’s municipal code prohibits the sale, use, possession, or furnishing of fireworks to a minor at any location in the city at any time.3American Legal Publishing. Corona Municipal Code 9.33.020 – Fireworks Prohibited Murrieta’s ban covers fireworks of all types and sizes within its jurisdiction.4City of Murrieta. Fireworks Are Illegal in Murrieta
All unincorporated areas of the county fall under Ordinance 858, which bans the possession, use, sale, and transportation of every category of firework, including safe and sane varieties.5Riverside County Clerk of the Board. Riverside County Ordinance 858 – Prohibiting Fireworks If you live outside city limits, there is no legal way to use fireworks on your property.
Separately, California classifies a long list of items as “dangerous fireworks” that remain illegal everywhere in the state, including the few Riverside County cities that allow safe and sane:
- Firecrackers
- Skyrockets and bottle rockets, or anything that rises into the air using combustible material
- Roman candles, which shoot balls of fire into the air
- Chasers that dart along the ground
- Sparklers longer than 10 inches or wider than one-quarter inch
- Trick and novelty items like exploding golf balls and auto-foolers
Fireworks containing chlorates, white phosphorus, or zirconium are classified as dangerous regardless of their size or behavior.6California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 12505
Fines and Penalties for Illegal Fireworks
Using, possessing, or selling fireworks without authorization under California law is a misdemeanor. A conviction carries a fine of $1,000 to $2,000, up to one year in county jail, or both. The same penalty applies to possessing less than 25 pounds of dangerous fireworks.7California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 12700 – Penalties Selling or giving dangerous fireworks to anyone under 18 triggers an additional penalty, and a second or subsequent conviction for that offense adds a $5,000 fine and up to a year in jail with no probation allowed.8California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 12702 – Penalties
In unincorporated areas, county Ordinance 858 adds local penalties on top of state law. A first offense is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to one year in jail, or both. A second or subsequent conviction brings a mandatory $1,000 fine and one year in jail.5Riverside County Clerk of the Board. Riverside County Ordinance 858 – Prohibiting Fireworks
Administrative civil penalties run alongside those criminal fines. County enforcement officers can issue citations of $1,000 for a first violation, $2,000 for a second within 36 months, and $5,000 for each additional violation in that period. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.5Riverside County Clerk of the Board. Riverside County Ordinance 858 – Prohibiting Fireworks The City of Riverside has raised its administrative fine to $1,500 per violation.9City of Riverside. Small Unmanned Aerial Systems to Help Crack Down on Illegal Fireworks Officers can also seize and destroy any fireworks they find and bill the owner for transportation, storage, and disposal.
Property owners are not off the hook if someone else lights the fireworks. Corona’s ordinance imposes strict liability, meaning a property owner can be fined whether or not they knew fireworks were being used on their land.3American Legal Publishing. Corona Municipal Code 9.33.020 – Fireworks Prohibited In the City of Riverside, property owner fines are $1,500 per violation.9City of Riverside. Small Unmanned Aerial Systems to Help Crack Down on Illegal Fireworks
Then there’s the fire. Anyone who starts a fire with illegal fireworks is personally responsible for all suppression costs, which in a county with heavy wildfire risk can run into the millions.1Riverside County Sheriff. Fireworks That liability extends to property damage and injuries. Homeowner’s insurance typically does not cover damage caused by illegal activity, so the bill lands on the person responsible.
How to Report Illegal Fireworks
In unincorporated Riverside County, the Sheriff’s Office handles reports. Call 911 for emergencies and 800-950-2444 for non-emergencies. The Sheriff’s Office also opens an online fireworks report form each year, available from six days before through three days after July 4.1Riverside County Sheriff. Fireworks
If the fireworks are inside a city with its own police department, contact that department directly; the Sheriff’s Office does not respond within those jurisdictions. Non-emergency lines for the larger cities include Riverside Police at (951) 354-2007, Corona Police at (951) 736-2334, and Murrieta Police at (951) 696-3615, with others listed on the Sheriff’s Office website.