To keep you safe, and to make sure that you buy the right kind of fireworks for your garden, there are four categories of fireworks sold in the UK.
Always read the label on your fireworks and follow the instructions.
Category 1 fireworks (also known as F1)
These are the smallest fireworks and can usually be used indoors. This category includes things like party poppers and the type of sparkler you might put on a birthday cake.
Category 2 fireworks (also known as F2)
These are outdoor fireworks, suitable for smaller spaces. They have a safety distance of 8m. This means that the audience need to be at least 8m away from the firework when it is lit. Some of our F2 fireworks are quite powerful, so we advise people to be further away (up to 25m). If in doubt treat it like an F3 firework (below)
Category 3 fireworks (also known as F3)
These are outdoor fireworks suitable for larger spaces. They have a safety distance of 25m. This means that the audience need to be at least 25m away from the firework when it is lit.
Category 4 fireworks (also known as F4)
These are outdoor fireworks and are only for professional use. This category includes aerial shells and powerful candles and cakes. Many do not have an ordinary fuse and so they can be very dangerous in the wrong hands. They cannot be purchased by the general public.
All fireworks sold in the UK must have a CE mark. This tells you that they have been tested and have been placed into one of the 4 categories above.
If a firework does not have a label on it, it counts as an F4 product and can only be used by a professional pyrotechnician.
For more details about firework categories and labels, click here.
