Explosives and fireworks licences

Apply for a licence to sell fireworks at any time

You can only sell fireworks at certain times of the year. If you wish to sell fireworks at any time you must apply for a ‘licence to supply/expose for supply adult fireworks' from Trading Standards.

The annual fee is £500 and the licence must be renewed annually.

Please note, if you're applying for new licences and registrations under the Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005:

1. we have a legal duty to consult with the fire service on these applications
2. all applications will be treated in the same way
3. you must allow a minimum of 8 weeks for your application to be processed.

More information about this is available on our page about licensing sales of fireworks.

Amounts that don't need to be registered or licensed

If you store less than 5kg of explosives that don't require an explosives certificate or less than 20kg of small arms ammunition, then you don't need to be registered or licensed.

Storing between 5kg and 2,000kg of explosives

Apply to East Sussex Trading Standards for a licence or registration if you store between 5kg and 2,000kg of other explosives including:

• fireworks,
• small arms ammunition
• air bag inflators.

Whether you apply for a licence or a registration depends on the amount and type of explosives that you store.

There are four hazard types of explosives – 1 is the most hazardous and 4 is the least hazardous. The majority of retail fireworks are classed as hazard type 4. The hazard type of an explosive will be listed on manufacturers or suppliers information.

You will need to apply for a registration if you store:

• between 5kg and 30kg of any type of explosives if this includes hazard type 1 and 2 explosives
• between 5kg and 100kg of hazard type 3 explosives
• between 5kg and 100kg of combination of hazard type 3 and hazard type 4 explosives
• between 5kg and 250kg of hazard type 4 explosives or 250kg of small arms ammunition and percussion caps and 30kg of shooters' powder.

Form – explosives – register a building to store .

You must apply for a licence if you store:

• between 30kg and 2,000kg of explosives if this includes hazard type 1 and 2 explosives
• between 100kg and 2,000kg of hazard type 3 explosives
• between 100kg and 2,000kg of combination of hazard type 3 and hazard type 4 explosives
• between 250kg and 2,000kg of hazard type 4 explosives or 250kg and 2,000kg of small arms ammunition and percussion caps and 30kg and 2,000kg of shooters' powder.

Form – explosives – licence a building to store .

Storing more than 2,000kg of explosives, or in mines and harbour areas

You must apply for a licence from the Health and Safety Executive if you:

• store more than 2,000kg of explosives, or
• store explosives at mines or harbour areas.

For more details visit the Health and Safety Executive website.

Explosives requiring a licence from the police

You must apply for a licence from the police if you store:

• smokeless powder
• blasting explosives
• black powder
• anything else requiring an explosives certificate.

If you are storing explosives in East Sussex or West Sussex, you should contact Sussex Police. For more information telephone Carol Pople on 01272 404108 or email carol.pople@sussex.pnn.police.uk.