When and where can you set off 4th of July fireworks near Des Moines?
Before you get your firecrackers ready, you should check your city's firework laws and regulations, as they vary throughout the Des Moines metro.
Here is a look at when and where you can set off your own red, white and blue fireworks this year.
When can you buy fireworks in Iowa?
In Iowa, a permanent building can conduct the sales of fireworks between June 1 and July 8, and again from Dec. 10 and Jan. 3. Temporary structures are only allowed to conduct sales between June 13 and July 8.
Legislation passed in 2022 prohibits cities from banning the sale of fireworks. Cities have to allow sales in areas zoned for commercial or industrial use, even if the city prohibits the use of fireworks.
The state fire marshal's website has an interactive map showing the locations of licensed fireworks vendors throughout the state at dps.iowa.gov/divisions/state-fire-marshal/consumer-fireworks-licensing.
When can you shoot fireworks in Iowa?
Iowa laws only allow individuals to use or explode consumer fireworks between June 1 through July 8 and Dec. 10 through Jan. 3 of each year.
Fireworks can only be used between these hours:
9 a.m. and 10 p.m.
9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4 and the following Saturday and Sunday
9 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 31, as well as the following Saturday and Sunday
Where can I set off fireworks in central Iowa?
Individual cities and counties can set more restrictive rules or ban fireworks entirely. Here's where and when you can set off fireworks in the Des Moines metro:
Ankeny: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4
Bondurant: 2-10 p.m. July 3, 2-11 p.m. July 4
Grimes: noon to 10 p.m. July 2 and 3, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4
Indianola: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 3-4
Norwalk: 4-10 p.m. July 2-3; 4-11 p.m. July 4
Van Meter: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 1 to July 8; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4 and preceding and post Saturday-Sunday
Waukee: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 3-4
What cities in central Iowa prohibit the use of consumer fireworks?
Altoona
Ames
Clive (sparklers are allowed)
Des Moines
Johnston
Pleasant Hill
Urbandale
West Des Moines
Windsor Heights
What happens if I set off fireworks where it's prohibited?
In cities where consumer fireworks are allowed, individuals should not use them on any property other than their own.
Misdemeanors and fines in cities where consumer fireworks are prohibited can range from $100-$625.
Des Moines City Council members recently voted to reduce the city's fine from $625 to $200 in hopes that officers will be more likely to write citations. Additional police officers will be working over the holiday, particularly around city parks that experienced thousands of dollars in damage last year, said city manager Scott Sanders.
Editor's note: This article was updated to reflect new hours that fireworks are allowed in Grimes.
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Are fireworks legal in Iowa? See fireworks laws for central Iowa