Brush Up on Fourth of July Fireworks Laws in University Place

This Independence Day, the City of University Place and local first responders urge residents to celebrate safely.

Here are some rules to keep in mind this holiday season.

You must be 16 years of age to purchase, possess and discharge fireworks within the City. Children under the age of 16 must be under direct supervision of an adult.

Fireworks that are purchased at reliable retailers licensed by Washington State are legal. All locations in University Place sell only legal fireworks. 

If you choose to purchase fireworks elsewhere, you are responsible to know the difference between legal and illegal fireworks.

Legal fireworks may be discharged only on July 4 from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. (midnight).

In University Place, fireworks may be purchased:

• June 28, 12 p.m. (noon) to 11 p.m.
• June 29 through July 3, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• July 4, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Violation of fireworks law in University Place is a misdemeanor and can lead to a $1,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail. 

For more information or to see a list of legal fireworks, view the Fireworks Pamphlet.

Fourth of July is traditionally one of the busiest days of the year for law enforcement. Call volume begins to escalate about a week before the holiday and eventually tapers off a few days after. 

If you see or hear a situation that requires an immediate lights-and-sirens response (where somebody’s life or property is in immediate peril), please call 911. The phone may ring several times if the communications center is experiencing high call volume. Just let it ring until a communications officer answers. Do not hang up.

If you have a situation that does not require an emergency response (like a noise or fireworks complaint), please call the dispatch center’s 24-hour non-emergency number: 253.798.4722. That number is answered by the same people who answer 911, but they answer ringing 911 calls first. 

So when communications officers are inundated with emergency calls, the non-emergency number might ring for a while. You may either let it ring until somebody answers, or hang up and call back later when the call volume has slowed.