Fireworks are usually sold only during short “holiday windows” (around July 4th and New Year’s) and stores must stop selling as soon as that legal window closes, which can be as early as July 5th or January 1st in many places. The exact cutoff date depends on your state and even your city or county, so local rules always win.

Key thing to know

Most places in the United States treat fireworks like a seasonal product with strict start and stop dates. These dates are written into state law and sometimes tightened further by local ordinances.

Typical stop dates

Here are some common patterns in U.S. state rules (your area may differ):

  • Around July 4th: Many states allow sales from late June (around June 20–27) until July 4 or July 5, then sales must stop.
  • Around New Year’s: Many states allow sales from mid‑ to late‑December (e.g., Dec 15–20) until January 1 or January 2.
  • Extra holidays: A few states (like Texas) add short sales windows for holidays such as Juneteenth, New Year’s, or local celebrations, with sales ending the last day of that window (for example, June 19 or January 1).

How much variation there is

Fireworks rules vary a lot by location.

  • Some states allow sales only during those brief summer and winter windows; outside those dates, shops must stop selling completely.
  • A few states or local areas allow year‑round sales, but they still regulate where, what type, and often when you can use them.
  • At least one state (Massachusetts) bans consumer fireworks sales altogether.

How to find your exact cutoff

Because the question “when do they stop selling fireworks” is so location‑dependent, the safest way to get a precise answer is to:

  1. Check your state fire marshal or state Department of Public Safety website for “fireworks selling season” or “consumer fireworks dates.”
  1. Look for local (city/county) ordinances, which can shorten or further restrict the state dates.
  1. Ask a local licensed fireworks stand or store; they are usually very familiar with the last legal day they can sell.

In practice: in many U.S. towns, stands close the night of July 4 or July 5 in summer, and the night of January 1 or January 2 in winter, because the law requires sales to stop then.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.