Business

Licence - explosives

Premises storing explosives (for example, fireworks and flares, air bag inflators) are required to either be registered or hold a storage licence.

This allows fireworks to be sold during the four seasonal occasions:

• 15th October to 10th November inclusive
• 26th December to 31st December inclusive
• on the 1st day of the Chinese New Year and the 3 days immediately preceding it
• on the day of Diwali and the 3 days immediately preceding it

To sell fireworks all year round a further firework suppliers licence is required.

How to apply for a registration, a storage licence or firework suppliers licence

Download, complete and return the relevant application forms together with the fees. Click on the see also link for a list of current fees.

If you store less than 5kg Net Explosive Quantity (NEQ) of explosives, then there is no need to register or be licensed. The NEQ is either 25% of the gross weight of the explosives or exact figure stated by the manufacturer or supplier. However, you may still need to hold a firework suppliers licence if you intend to sell fireworks all year round.

Only persons with "fixed" premises can be registered or licensed, so fireworks cannot be sold at market stalls, car boot sales or other temporary sales points.

Registration

Fireworks sold by retailers are generally the types of less powerful fireworks known as hazard type 4 (Hazprod code 1.4G). Registration allows for storage of up to 250Kg (NEQ) of type 4.

More powerful fireworks used by professional display organisers are known as hazard type 3 (Hazprod code 1.3G). If any of these are stored together with the less powerful type 4 then the maximum quantity of both type of explosives that can be stored is reduced to 100Kg (NEQ).

Storage licence

This is required to store more than 250Kg (NEQ) of type 4 or more than 100Kg (NEQ) of type 3 explosives. For quantities, greater than 2000Kg (NEQ) an application must be made to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). See the associated links for an HSE application form.

Table showing type of application to make:

Period of validity

Registrations and storage licences are valid for one year and expire at the end of September. If you are making a new application to sell fireworks for the November celebrations then this will need to be made by September 20 to allow time for the application to be processed.

Suitability of premises

Premises will usually need to be inspected by the Council before they can be registered or licensed. The inspection is made to find out if the premises are suitable for the storage of explosives and what precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of staff, customers and nearby residents.

Prior to storing and selling fireworks, a risk assessment must be carried out in order to determine what actions to take to prevent a fire starting, stop it spreading and protect people in the event of a fire. If you have 5 or more staff members, including part-time staff e.g. paper delivery persons, then you are required to keep a written record of your risk assessment. The Health and Safety Executive has provided a risk assessment check list which can be downloaded from the associated link.

The assessment covers issues such as:

• smoking and naked lights
• sparks from electrical sockets
• sources of heat
• storage room or containers
• building security
• reducing the spread of fire
• contamination of explosives.

The quantity of explosives that can be kept in the sales area of a shop is determined by the floor area and can vary between 12.5Kg and 75Kg. People under the age of 18 must not work in the storage area unless supervised. Individual display cases must not contain more than 12.5Kg of explosives.

Notices

Premises selling fireworks must display a large (A3) notice stating "It is illegal to sell adult fireworks to anyone under the age of 18" and "It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to possess adult fireworks in a public place".

Further information

The rules governing the storage and sale of fireworks are very strict and were strengthened in 2005. The council can now refuse to grant a registration or licence where application forms have not been completed correctly and can refuse or revoke licences or registrations that have been issued if fireworks are not stored in a safe manner.

To avoid any last minute problems please apply for either a registration or licence in good time and do contact the Trading Standards Team for further information and advice.
 
You should send any completed forms to the address below.

Contact Details

Contact name

Trading Standards

Telephone

020 8407 1311

Fax

020 8760 5786

Minicom

020 8760 5797

Email

trading.standards@croydon.gov.uk

Address

One Stop
Taberner House
Park Lane
Croydon CR9 3BT