FLOODING OR OTHER WEATHER THREATS ON YOUR PHONE. A BIG CHANGE THIS YEAR FOR IOWANS GEARING UP FOR THE 4TH OF JULY. A NEW STATE LAW MEANS YOU CAN NOW LEGALLY SHOOT OFF FIREWORKS ON JULY 3RD AND THE FOURTH AND NEW YEAR’S EVE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT IT’S A FREE FOR ALL. THEY’RE TELLING YOU TO HOLD ON, RIGHT? YOU GOT TO FOLLOW SOME RULES. vlog CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER IS LIVE IN DES MOINES. WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU LIGHT THOSE FUZES. AMANDA. WELL, BEN AND STACEY, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT ALL IOWANS STATEWIDE HAVE A GUARANTEED GREEN LIGHT TO SHOOT OFF FIREWORKS ON JULY 3RD AND JULY 4TH. AND WHILE MANY FIREWORKS SELLERS SAY THAT’S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL FOR THEIR BUSINESS, POLICE WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THERE ARE SOME LIMITS TO THIS NEW LAW. WE’RE UP PROBABLY 15%. I WOULD SAY 15 TO 20% OVER LAST YEAR, FIREWORKS SELLERS LIKE KIM SANDSTO SAY BUSINESS IS BOOMING. PARACHUTES ARE ALWAYS GREAT FOR LITTLE KIDS. SHE SAYS MANY SHOPPERS ARE BUYING BIG TICKET ITEMS FOR THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT BREAKING THE LAW. CUSTOMERS ARE TRYING SOME NEW THINGS THAT MAYBE THEY WERE HESITANT TO TRY BEFORE AND LOOKING TO ENJOY THE THIRD AND THE FOURTH. FOR YEARS, CITIES LIKE DES MOINES HAVE BANNED RESIDENTS FROM SHOOTING OFF FIREWORKS, BUT A NEW STATE LAW FORCED THEM TO CHANGE COURSE THIS YEAR. STILL, IT’S NOT ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN BUY THEM ON THE SECOND DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN LIGHT THEM ON THE SECOND. SERGEANT PAUL PARIZEK SAYS THERE ARE LIMITS IN DES MOINES. YOU CAN ONLY LIGHT FIREWORKS FROM 9 A.M. TO 10 P.M. ON JULY 3RD AND 9 A.M. TO 11 P.M. ON JULY 4TH. YOU ALSO STILL CANNOT SET THEM OFF IN PUBLIC PARKS OR ON CITY STREETS. YOU KNOW, WE’LL GET CALLED TO NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE’S, YOU KNOW, A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING ON A DISPLAY FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS, AND THEY’RE LAUNCHING THEM FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THAT’S NOT LEGAL. THAT NEVER HAS BEEN LEGAL, BUT IT STILL IS NOT LEGAL. EVEN DURING THOSE PERIODS WHERE FIREWORKS ARE PERMITTED. POLICE ALSO WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, OUR VETERANS, WHO THOSE SOUNDS ARE VERY, VERY TRAUMATIC, FOR THERE ARE PETS WHO SOMETIMES, IF YOUR GATE’S NOT SHUT, THEY’LL RUN OFF, YOU KNOW. SO AS PET OWNERS, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT. BUT ALSO AS NEIGHBORS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE DOING THE BEST THING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. AND FIREWORKS SELLERS SAY THEY ARE SEEING CUSTOMERS WHO TELL THEM THEY’VE NEVER LET OFF FIREWORKS BEFORE, BUT THEY’RE HERE SHOPPING. THEY’RE PLANNING TO THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE LAW CHANGE. FIREWORKS SELLERS ALSO SAY THAT THEY’RE EXPECTING TO SEE EVEN MORE SALES NEXT WEEK. AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE 4TH OF JULY. LIVE IN DE
New Iowa firework enforcement law takes effect next week, ahead of 4th of July holiday
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Updated: 11:00 PM CDT Jun 25, 2025
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Thanks to a new state law, all Iowans can legally shoot off fireworks on July 3 and 4 for the first time this year, but police remind residents that there are still restrictions in place.Fireworks sellers like Kim Sandstoe have noticed a surge in business, with sales up by 15 to 20% compared to last year. Sandstoe said, "Customers are trying some new things that maybe they were hesitant to try before, and looking to enjoy the third and the fourth."Previously, cities like Des Moines prohibited residents from using fireworks, but the new state law has changed that. However, Des Moines Police Department's Sgt. Paul Parizek cautions that there are still limitations. "It's not anywhere, anytime, just because you can buy them on the second doesn't mean you could light them on the second," he said. In Des Moines, fireworks can only be set off from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 3 and from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July Fourth. Fireworks are not allowed in public parks or on city streets.Parizek also highlighted the importance of considering the impact on others. "We'll get called to neighborhoods where there's, you know, a group of people who are putting on a display for their neighbors, and they're launching them from the middle of the road. That's not legal. That never has been legal, but it still is not legal even during those periods where fireworks are permitted," he said. He added, "There are veterans who those sounds are very, very traumatic for their pets. And sometimes if you're not sure that they'll run off, you know, so as pet owners, we need to pay attention to that. But also as neighbors, we need to make sure that we're doing the best thing for our neighbors."Firework sellers are seeing customers who have never lit off fireworks before but plan to do so this year, and they anticipate even more sales as the Fourth of July approaches.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Thanks to a new state law, all Iowans can legally shoot off fireworks on July 3 and 4 for the first time this year, but police remind residents that there are still restrictions in place.
Fireworks sellers like Kim Sandstoe have noticed a surge in business, with sales up by 15 to 20% compared to last year.
Sandstoe said, "Customers are trying some new things that maybe they were hesitant to try before, and looking to enjoy the third and the fourth."
Previously, cities like Des Moines prohibited residents from using fireworks, but the new state law has changed that. However, Des Moines Police Department's Sgt. Paul Parizek cautions that there are still limitations.
"It's not anywhere, anytime, just because you can buy them on the second doesn't mean you could light them on the second," he said.
In Des Moines, fireworks can only be set off from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 3 and from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July Fourth. Fireworks are not allowed in public parks or on city streets.
Parizek also highlighted the importance of considering the impact on others.
"We'll get called to neighborhoods where there's, you know, a group of people who are putting on a display for their neighbors, and they're launching them from the middle of the road. That's not legal. That never has been legal, but it still is not legal even during those periods where fireworks are permitted," he said.
He added, "There are veterans who those sounds are very, very traumatic for their pets. And sometimes if you're not sure that they'll run off, you know, so as pet owners, we need to pay attention to that. But also as neighbors, we need to make sure that we're doing the best thing for our neighbors."
Firework sellers are seeing customers who have never lit off fireworks before but plan to do so this year, and they anticipate even more sales as the Fourth of July approaches.
