Community Corner
Fireworks: What's Legal in Illinois and Oak Forest
The list of what kind of devices people can buy and ignite in the state isn't the same as what's allowed in the city. Find out what the differences are.
Illinois is not what you would call a firework friendly state, despite the giant billboards advertising pyrotechnic retailers that line I-80 as you approach the Indiana border.
When it comes to using explosives for festive occasions, the state does not subscribe to the quote from the episode of The Simpsons included in this article: "Celebrate the independence of your nation by blowing up a small part of it." (Go to the video clip's YouTube page to view it on a mobile device.)
Under state law, fireworks, such as bottle rockets and Roman candles, are prohibited. In fact, many of the devices sold at those border stores in the Hoosier State are illegal in the Land of Lincoln.
The only legal loud-and-flashy devices are meant to stay out of the hands of private citizens and reserved for public displays, which require permits.
Patch breaks down what's allowed and what's prohibited in the state and the city when it comes to things that go boom.
What's Legal in Illinois
The state allows devices known as novelty fireworks, which are the Macbeth of pyrotechnics—"full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." These legal devices include:
- snake or glow-worm pellets
- smoke devices
- noisemakers, such as "party poppers" and "snappers"
- sparklers
- cap guns
What's Legal in Oak Forest
The state allows municipalities to create stricter prohibitions on fireworks at the local level. So while Illinois allows things like sparklers, smoke bombs and snake pellets, the City of Oak Forest has banned them.
In fact, cap guns are the only novelty fireworks that residents can use in the village.
What's the Penalty
Selling, possessing, manufacturing or using banned fireworks in Oak Forest is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a fine of $500 if convicted.
SOURCES: City of Oak Forest Code of Ordinances; State Fire Marshal's Office
Other Fireworks Stories on Oak Forest Patch:
- Why Local Fire Chiefs Think Ban on Sky Lanterns Is a Good Idea
- Find Fireworks for Fourth of July 2013 Around Oak Forest
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