Setting off fireworks on New Year's Eve is a hugely popular activity in Denmark, and preparations begin in mid-December when the window for legally purchasing rockets and firecrackers opens. As much as half a billion kroner is spent on fireworks every year according to national broadcaster DR.
In Denmark, you can legally purchase fireworks from mid-December (as you may note by the numerous advertisements and posters which show up around this time). Stores are permitted to sell fireworks from December 15th until December 31st.
However, as a private person, unless you acquire special professional permission, you can legally use fireworks only within a short 6-day-long time window – from December 27th to January 1st.
You'll be able to buy fireworks from major retailers or from speciality fireworks shops, often in the form of large pop-up marquees, which open to do business in the said period.
It's worth keeping in mind that the dates for setting off fireworks could be narrowed further from next year.
The government wants to reduce the current window, allowing fireworks on only two days of the year, December 31st and January 1st. Penalties for breaching the rules will meanwhile be increased. The change is being made out of consideration for animals and people who can be negatively affected by fireworks, such as military veterans, the government has said.
The new rules would take effect from the 2024-25 New Year.
All companies that sell fireworks in Denmark must have a so-called CE number, which must also be printed on the fireworks they sell.
The CE number shows that the fireworks sold meet the safety requirements set forward by the Danish Safety Technology Authority (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen), which guarantees that the product in question is legal.
The authority is also in charge of testing out fireworks each year in an effort to minimize the risk associated with setting them off.
Be wary of buying fireworks from actors who don't have a CE number, as many illegal fireworks find their way into the country each year. Customs officers have seized at least 1.7 tonnes of such products in 2022, according to reports at the time.
It is also illegal to bring fireworks into Denmark even if the product is considered legal in the country where you acquired it.
Each year, the Safety Technology Authority also runs a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the risks and potential injuries associated with fireworks. You can find the authority's detailed advice on how to use fireworks safely here (in Danish).
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