Fireworks rules in Germany: what is allowed for New Year 2026/2027?
Spending New Year in Germany or planning to buy fireworks there? Check the rules on sales, age limits and use before you go. If you are travelling back to the Netherlands, you also need to know what you may take across the border.
When can you buy fireworks in Germany?
Regular category F2 consumer fireworks, including many batteries and rockets, can normally only be sold and handed over to consumers from 29 to 31 December. If one of those dates falls on a Sunday, sales may start on 28 December. For New Year 2026/2027, the regular sales dates are 29, 30 and 31 December 2026. Shop opening hours vary.
Find fireworks shops in Germany
Looking for a retailer? Browse the directory of fireworks shops in Germany on Pyros United. Check opening hours and sales conditions directly with the shop before travelling. Remember to check the rules on taking fireworks into the Netherlands as well.
Buying and setting off fireworks in Germany: what can visitors do?
Spending New Year in Germany and planning to use your fireworks there? Visitors aged 18 or over may buy and use regular F2 consumer fireworks permitted in Germany, including permitted batteries, compounds, fountains, rockets and firecrackers. Buy from a reputable shop and check the category, CE marking, registration number and German instructions. Not every F2 product is freely available: certain flash-powder firecrackers and rockets containing more than 20 grams of net explosive content are among the products reserved for authorised people. F3 and F4 require special authorisation. The regular sales dates are 29, 30 and 31 December 2026. Use without special permission is allowed on 31 December and 1 January, subject to local prohibitions and safety requirements. You do not need to be a German resident to buy and use fireworks under these consumer rules.
How much fireworks can you collect and transport?
There is no general 25 kg or 50 kg purchase limit for regular F2 fireworks bought legally in Germany and used there. This does not allow unlimited transport or storage: separate rules apply. The amount you can carry depends on the transport classification and applicable transport rules. Under Germany’s private-person transport exemption, the limit for fireworks in division 1.4 is 50 kg gross per transport unit. For fireworks in divisions 1.1 to 1.3, it is 5 kg gross. Gross weight includes the fireworks and all packaging; it is different from net explosive content. The limit applies to the vehicle and any trailer together, not to each passenger. These specific German limits apply to domestic journeys in vehicles registered in Germany. Do not automatically apply them to a Dutch-registered car or cross-border transport. They are transport limits within an exemption, rather than general purchase or storage limits. Ask the retailer to confirm the transport classification, keep retail packaging intact and secure the load. Do not simply add the 50 kg and 5 kg limits together.
What is the minimum age?
The minimum age for F2 fireworks is 18. Small category F1 fireworks, such as sparklers and bang snaps, are allowed from age 12 and may generally be sold and used throughout the year. Always check the category and instructions on the packaging.
When can you set off fireworks?
Adults may use regular F2 fireworks without special permission on 31 December and 1 January. Outside these dates, an appropriate permit or exemption is required. The national rule does not restrict use solely to the hours around midnight. Municipalities may impose additional restrictions, so check the local authority’s website.
Where are fireworks prohibited?
Setting off fireworks is prohibited in the immediate vicinity of churches, hospitals, children’s homes, care homes for older people, and particularly fire-sensitive buildings or installations. Additional local bans may cover parts of a town centre. Check the current rules for your location.
How do you recognise legal fireworks?
Buy from a reputable retailer and check the CE marking, registration number and category. Read the instructions and observe the stated safety distances. A CE marking does not mean every product is freely available to consumers. Some F2 products face additional restrictions, including certain flash-powder firecrackers and rockets containing more than 20 grams of net explosive content. F3 and F4 require special authorisation.
Can you take German fireworks into the Netherlands?
Ordinary consumers may only bring in F1 fireworks that meet Dutch requirements. Since 1 August 2026, the Netherlands has had a nationwide consumer ban on other fireworks. Buying F2 fireworks legally in Germany therefore does not allow you to bring them into the Netherlands. A German receipt or CE marking does not change this.
Prepare for the celebrations
Check local rules before travelling, read the packaging and consider bystanders and animals. Good preparation helps make the New Year celebrations enjoyable.
Updated on 29 October 2026. Check for any new national and local rules shortly before New Year.