You have to be 18 to buy consumer fireworks in Maryland, and 16 to buy sparklers or sparkling devices. That two-tier setup is written into the state’s Public Safety Code, and it applies to every legal seller in the state.
What Each Age Can Buy
At 16 or 17, you can legally purchase sparklers and sparkling devices. Selling those items to anyone under 16 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Public Safety Code 10-112 – Sale of Sparklers and Sparkling Devices to Person Under Age of 16 Years
At 18, you can buy the rest of what Maryland allows for consumer sale. That’s still a short list. Only three categories are legal statewide: gold-labeled handheld sparklers, novelty items like party poppers, snap pops, and snakes, and ground-based sparkling devices that sit on a flat surface and emit sparks without leaving the ground.2Maryland Department of State Police. Law Enforcement Guide to Fireworks Identification Firecrackers, cherry bombs, M-80s, Roman candles, bottle rockets, sky rockets, and anything launched from a mortar tube are prohibited at every age. If it flies, explodes, or produces a loud bang, it’s almost certainly illegal in Maryland regardless of how old you are.
Penalties on the Seller
The age rules are enforced against the person selling, not the person buying. A retailer who sells consumer fireworks to someone under 18, sells sparklers to someone under 16, sells without a permit, or sells prohibited products faces a misdemeanor charge with a fine of up to $1,000 per sale.3Maryland State Fire Marshal. Maryland Code Public Safety Article Title 10 – Fireworks and Sparklers Expect legitimate sellers to check ID. All retailers, including seasonal tents and trailers, need a permit from the State Fire Marshal, so a stand that can’t produce one is worth walking away from.4Cornell Law School. Maryland Code of Regulations 29.06.01.09 – Fireworks and Explosive Materials
The buyer isn’t off the hook once the fireworks leave the store. Possessing or discharging prohibited fireworks carries a fine of up to $250 per offense, and the State Fire Marshal will seize the product at the owner’s expense.3Maryland State Fire Marshal. Maryland Code Public Safety Article Title 10 – Fireworks and Sparklers
Local Rules Can Override the State Age
Being old enough to buy under state law doesn’t mean the fireworks are legal where you plan to use them. Maryland counties and cities can restrict further, and several do.
Montgomery County bans possession and discharge of all fireworks including gold-label sparklers, with narrow exceptions for snap-and-pops, snakes, and party poppers.5Montgomery County Government. What You Should Know About Fireworks Prince George’s County and Baltimore City prohibit all consumer fireworks, sparklers included. Ocean City, Harford County, and Howard County ban ground-based sparklers while allowing certain novelty items. Call your local fire marshal or check the county code before you buy. State-level legality is no defense against a stricter county rule.
Buying Out of State Doesn’t Get Around the Age Rule
Pennsylvania and Virginia sell products Maryland doesn’t allow, and driving them home is a federal crime. Under 18 U.S.C. ยง 836, knowingly transporting fireworks into a state where those fireworks are prohibited carries a fine and up to one year in federal prison.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 836 – Transportation of Fireworks Into State Prohibiting Sale or Use Maryland’s possession penalties apply on top of that once the fireworks cross the border. Ordering prohibited items online for delivery to a Maryland address is the same violation.