Earlier this year, Indiana legalized a whole class of fireworks previously outlawed in the state. But with changing ordinances in the Midwest — who can keep track of fireworks that are legal and those that aren’t?
We’re here to help.
Tempo provides a chart of fireworks that are legal for private revelers in the tristate area.
Beware: It’s illegal to bring fireworks from Indiana into Illinois. Automobiles filled with fireworks “can actually be towed when they enter Chicago,” Cmdr. Edward O’Donnell of the Chicago Police Department’s Bomb and Arson Section says. Impounded vehicles can only be reclaimed after an administrative hearing.
What’s more, possession of M-series fireworks, such as M-80 firecrackers, is a felony in Illinois, O’Donnell says.
Also, each town and city, and sometimes each neighborhood association, has its own more restrictive laws, so be sure to check for special local rules.
STATE: ILLINOIS
YES:
– Sparklers
– Smoke devices
– Snake pellets
NO:
– Firecrackers
– Bottle rockets
– Fountains
– Mortars
– Sparking tanks or novelties
STATE: INDIANA
YES:
– Sparklers
– Firecrackers
– Bottle rockets
– Fountains
– Small mortars
NO:
– High-grade mortars and city-display style fireworks
STATE: WISCONSIN
YES:
– Sparklers
– Fountains
NO:
– Firecrackers
– Bottle rockets
– Mortars
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Sources: www.state.il.us/osfm/; www.in.gov/dhs; www.usfireworks.biz/legal; Chicago Police Department
