Explosives and Fireworks Explosives must be stored safely and securely. The term explosives includes fireworks, other pyrotechnic articles and substances and small arms ammunition.
Health and Safety regulations are in force and anyone planning to store explosives is required by law to have a current explosives registration or licence and to store them correctly.
Registration is a is a simplified process for those wanting to store smaller quantities of explosives and is suitable for most shops stocking fireworks during the firework season. Licensing conditions are much stricter and apply to those wishing to store much larger quantities and to manufacturers of explosives.
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Guidance for firework retailers
The Council's Trading Standards team have prepared some guidance for retailers on fireworks registration and storage (68kb) which you can download.
Further information and resources are also available from the Department of Business for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) website.
Apply for an explosives registration
When can I sell fireworks?
You can sell adult fireworks during these times:
- October 15 to November 10
- December 26 to December 31
- The first day of Chinese New Year and the three days immediately before it
- The day of Diwali and the three days immediately before it
An adult firework is any firework except for a cap, cracker snap (Christmas cracker), novelty match, party popper, serpent, throw-down or sparkler.
If you wish to sell adult fireworks to the general public at other times during the year you must obtain a special sales licence which costs £500. This is in addition to obtaining a storage licence or registration. Selling outside the above dates without a licence is a criminal offence.
Legal requirements on the sale of fireworks
All suppliers must comply with regulations that control;
- the type of fireworks you can sell
- the labelling that fireworks must have
- the warning notices you must display in your premises and
- the age of persons that you can sell fireworks to
The Council's Trading Standards team have prepared business information on  fireworks safety and underage sales (50kb) which you can download.
Further advice on avoiding underage sales
Trading Standards have also prepared the following guidance leaflets on underage sales which you can download:
Additional information
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website publishes extensive information on explosives. There is also an Approved Code of Practice and Guidance available to purchase (ISBN 0717628167).
- It is an offence to set off fireworks in the street. This is punishable by a fixed penalty notice of £80
- Police also have the power to issue fixed penalty notices to people under 18 caught in possession of fireworks in a public place, or people breaching the curfew times. The penalty fine is £80
Enforcement
In Southwark the various requirements are enforced by our trading standards, licensing and health and safety officers. The Police and fire brigade may also enforce certain provisions.
Compliance is assessed by spot checks of storage arrangements and by using underage volunteers to attempt test purchases of fireworks. Advice and education are also provided to traders, parents and children.
Exemptions to registration and licensing
There are a number of exemptions for the storage of very small quantities and for very temporary storage. For example there are allowances for storage of shooters' powders and for certain lower-risk pyrotechnic articles which include articles such as flares, fog signals, car airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners. These must still be stored safely and securely. For further details contact us.
Contact us
Please contact us if you have any questions or would prefer to have an application form posted to you.
Licensing unit
Tel: 020 7525 2000
Fax: 020 7525 5705
licensing@southwark.gov.uk
Chaplin Centre
Thurlow Street
London
SE17 2DG |