FAQ’s

For detailed information on everything related to delivery, please see our delivery page here

U.K. law states that no persons younger than the age of 18 can purchase fireworks, however when buying fireworks from one of our retail shops we tolerate a strict challenge 25 policy where we will ask for I.D. if we feel you look younger than this. Please do not take offence to our staff if they do ask you for I.D. this is simply to ensure we are abiding by the U.K. laws.

In the very unlikely occasion you find any of our fireworks cheaper elsewhere then we will be more than happy to beat that price, here at MDL Fireworks we promise to not only sell the best fireworks but ensure the best prices, service and delivery too.

You are allowed to set off fireworks any day of the week from 7am -11pm however this is extended on the following dates –

Until midnight on bonfire night (5th November)

Until 1am on Chinese New Year & Diwali

Until 1am on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day

Please do remember to always be considerate to those around you when firing fireworks, inform your neighbours if possible, bear in mind the elderly, children and animals and keep well within the allotted legal time brackets.

In this very unlikely case we advise you to leave the particular firework where it is and do not return to it for at least 24 hours, after doing so take some pictures of the misfire for our reference and then totally submerge in water for a further 24 hours before placing in your normal black bin.

Please do then use our contact us page and get in touch, we will be happy to take a look at the pictures before passing it on to the manufacturer and getting you a full refund.

Your fireworks will come securely packaged in boxes, please do check through your order and take a look at your amazing pyro however we recommend putting them back in the boxes and storing them in a safe and dry place such as a garage away from any damp.

Securing your pyro really is essential and the best way to do so is via the staking method, simply knock wooden stakes into the ground with a mallet and then Gaffa tape your fireworks to them. If you cannot do this or don’t have stakes etc. then you can also place a couple of bricks on either sides of your firework to prevent them toppling over. If you wish to purchase stakes and tape please see our Display Accessory Pack

We like to think that fireworks are like a good meal and making sure you are prepped correctly makes it so much better and easier. We recommend that on the day of firing you have a look at your fireworks, remove them from their boxes and lay them out, you should then work out what order you will be firing them in. Once this is decided we suggest you give yourself adequate time (depending on the amount of fireworks you have) to lay them out and secure them properly prior to firing.

We are now going to lay the fireworks out, and we like to do this in a snake formation E.G. if you have 15 fireworks create three rows of 5 starting from left to right 1-5 and then come backwards on yourself (see diagram below), this ensures you are always working away from the previous firework ensuring firing as safely as possible.

1-2-3-4-5

10-9-8-7-6

11-12-13-14-15

Although rain will not affect the performance of the firework once lit, it is essential that you keep your fireworks dry before ignition, if you do not need to lay all fireworks out beforehand then keep your fireworks indoors and set them off one by one getting a new firework each time.

If however you are firing a professional display and wish to lay your fireworks out beforehand then leave it as late as possible to do so. In this case we always recommend you will need to waterproof them, you can do this by both placing in plastic bags and removing before lighting or our favourite and easiest method is to cling film each firework, you can then leave them in this film when placed outside. When it comes to firing simply light the fuse through the film or tear a hole an expose it, this is the best way to waterproof your pyro however give yourself adequate time to do this.

All that is left from used fireworks will be the cardboard tubes and outer shell, you can either dispose of this in your normal black bins or alternatively burn them outdoors.

Of course this may sound like a daft question however there are many ways you can actually ignite your fireworks and certain ways make life much easier, our most recommended product is a Portfire which you can purchase here this product has a constant, strong burning flame at the tip lasting around 3 minutes each, they really do make lighting fireworks much easier and we believe they are a necessity when lighting fireworks. Another product we strongly recommend is the Rothenburger Sure Fire II, available here, this really is a level up and only really is recommended if you are a pyromaniac who plans on doing many displays.

This is something we do provide at MDL, we sell many items in case quantities for someone looking at buying a certain product in multiples or a case quantity. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

The Firework Code

Always follow the firework code, stick to these simple rules, and be safe this bonfire night.

only buy fireworks marked BS 7114 or CE Marked (EN 15947)

don’t drink alcohol if you’re setting off fireworks

store fireworks in a closed box

follow the instructions on each firework

light fireworks at arm’s length, using the taper provided

stand well back

never go near a firework that has been lit – even if it hasn’t gone off it could still explode

never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them

always supervise children around fireworks

light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves

never give sparklers to a child under five

keep pets indoors

don’t set off noisy fireworks late at night and never after 11.00pm (except on certain occasions)

take care around open flames such as bonfires and barbecues – all clothes even those labeled ‘low flammability’ can catch fire

The law covering fireworks in the UK can be very complex and most of it doesn’t apply to the general public. But here we have listed some of the most frequently asked questions with regards to fireworks and the law.

Yes you can legally buy fireworks all year round, however the company you are buying from must have a licence to sell all year. You should also note that you are only legally permitted to store up to 50kg of 1.4g Fireworks for 21 days and 5kg of 1.3g Fireworks for 3 days.

Yes and No. You can use fireworks every day of the year between the hours of 7am and 11pm, except on Bonfire Night (midnight), Diwali, New Year, and Chinese New Year (1am).

You can buy Category 1, 2 and 3 fireworks. Category 1 fireworks are classed as indoor fireworks. Category 2 fireworks are those which are suited to smaller back gardens and have a minimum safety distance of 5 or 8 meters. Category 3 fireworks are suited to larger gardens and displays and have a minimum safety distance of 25 meters.

No, category 4 fireworks are reserved for professional display operators.

These are called shells in mortars, they were banned from sale to the general public in 1997 after a few fatalities. They are now classified as Category 4 fireworks. If you are offered these you should contact your local trading standards office immediately, they are highly dangerous if loaded or fired incorrectly.

No, they are not available to the general public in the UK .