CLEVELAND, Ohio – It is legal to set off fireworks from your home in Ohio, but many cities have their own laws banning the practice.

In 2021, state lawmakers passed House Bill 172, which allows people to discharge, ignite or explode fireworks on private property on certain days of the year, including the Fourth of July. These include firecrackers, bottle rockets and Roman candles.

Cities are allowed to opt out of the law, which went into effect last summer. Most Cleveland suburbs have decided to ban the private use of fireworks. Those caught shooting them off face misdemeanors. Other cities, like Cleveland, have had ordinances on their books for years that forbid it.

Maple Heights allows residents to possess and use bottle rockets and firecrackers on private property.

“We follow the state law regarding fireworks,” the city’s police chief, Todd Hansen, said in an email.

Broadview Heights is one of the many Cuyahoga County suburbs that does not allow residents to set off fireworks.

“We want everyone to have a safe and happy Fourth of July, but I will have extra officers on patrol to enforce our local ordinances regarding fireworks,” said Steven Raiff, the city’s police chief.

Broadview Heights will be having fireworks displays at its Home Days festival on July 6, 7 and 8.

Cleveland police are urging people to be safe if they use fireworks over the holiday weekend, even though they are illegal in the city. Forty percent of fires on Independence Day are a result of fireworks.

“The discharge of, ignition or explosion of any fireworks, except novelty or trick fireworks, is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree,” police said in a statement. “Violations of this section after having been warned within 36 hours of a second occurrence are a misdemeanor of the third degree. Violations of this section during any dates of June 15 through July 15 inclusive are a misdemeanor of the third degree.”

Many communities are hosting their own fireworks displays and other events to celebrate the holiday. Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s Light Up the Lake starts at 10 p.m. Tuesday with prime viewing locations from the Flats, Voinovich Park, Whiskey Island, Wendy Park, Edgewater Park and Kirtland Park.

Northeast Ohio cities that do not allow residents to shoot off fireworks:

Amherst

Avon Lake

Bay Village

Beachwood

Bedford

Bedford Heights

Berea

Brecksville

Broadview Heights

Cleveland

Cleveland Heights

Garfield Heights

Highland Heights

Euclid

Fairport Harbor

Lakewood

Mayfield Village

Medina

Mentor

Middleburg Heights

Parma

Rocky River

Seven Hills

Shaker Heights

South Euclid

Strongsville

Tallmadge

Twinsburg

Wadsworth

Warrensville Heights

Westlake