Questions

[Bobby821]

I live in the state of Oklahoma and I have been thinking about getting my fireworks license from ATF. The state laws here seem cofusing to me when I read them on the state fire marshals website. Would I be able to get an ATF license to buy and posess 1.3G fireworks without going through all the licenseing requirements with the state or would I have to do both?

My second question is would having just an ATF license allow me to transport and store my personal 1.4G fireworks?
I live in a county that technically prohibits the possession and discharge of fireworks in the city limits, would having an ATF license make it legal for me to store and poses 1.4G fireworks in small quantity at my home?

Any advice would be appreciated as I continue to gain more information and knowledge on this topic.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Bobby - I'm no lawyer, but here's my take. I live in Florida where fireworks are illegal (unless you use them to scare birds off your farm or away from your fish pond). That said, half of the population in this state shoot fireworks off on the 4th! I do every year. This year I had 2 pallets of fireworks arrive in a UPS semi-truck from a company in Ohio. I don't have an ATF 54 or any other type of license. I store them in my garage and I build my display boards in my garage. There are also plenty of fireworks stores here in Florida and fireworks tent stores on virtually every corner this time of year. You don't need an ATF license to buy or transport anything from any of them.

As for getting the ATF 54... My buddy and I are working on getting ours now. I don't think the ATF cares that fireworks are illegal in your state, and I don't believe they would use that as a consideration to deny you a license. If I was them, I would *assume* that if you're getting an ATF license, you plan to purchase professional grade 1.3G fireworks; and that you plan on obtaining a permit to shoot them off as part of a professional show. The problem you have (the same problem my buddy and I have) is finding a fire chief to issue you a permit, finding a suitable shoot site; and/or building an ATF approved storage facility for those 1.3G fireworks. If we can't get the fire chief to issue a permit; if we can't find a suitable shoot site; and if we can't find a 1.3G dealer to agree to be our storage facility; then there's no point in getting an ATF 54 license. We don't need an ATF license to buy/store/transport 1.4 G stuff.

So for what it's worth, I would assume you're in a similar situation.

[Bobby821]

Thanks for the info Rick, Fireworks are legal in the state of Oklahoma, the towns and cities make there own laws regarding them like in my county for instance it is illiegal to posess or set them off of any type. but up to and around the 4th of July everyone and there dog is shooting them off here and the police will tell you that you can not do it but unless they receive a complaint from someone they will not really do anything about it. If you do have an encounter with the police or fire dept over shooting them they will tell you that you can't do it and to stop and I believe they can confiscate your fireworks also if they want to. I was just thinking if I had the ATF 54 license it would make it more legal for me to posess and shoot them here maybe.

[fatcat]

Bobby- like Rick I'm not a lawyer either. but from reading on this websight and other websights I believe all the ATF type 54 license does for you is that you can legally purchase 1,3 fireworks. You still have to follow all the rules, regulations etc imposed by your state, county, city and other federal agencies as regard to storage, transporting, shooting etc. Join a pyro club and I'm sure all your questions will be answered

[Bobby821]

I have not had much luck in finding Pyro clubs in my area of Oklahoma unfortunately, so I am trying to find out as much as I can via the internet which is somewhat murky at best.

[ilovecrackle]

Like fatcat said above, Your 54 has nothing to do with 1.4 consumer. Your 54 just allows you to purchase 1.3. If 1.4 is Illegal for you to have/shoot where you are at, 1.4 will still be Illegal where you are at if you have your 54.