Sales of fireworks in Denmark are permitted from December 15th, but they can't be ignited until after Christmas. In 2024, new laws were introduced which further limit the days on which it is legal to set off fireworks.
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.
Fireworks can be sold and purchased from mid-December, as you may note by the numerous pop-up stores in the form of white tents which show up around this time, with billboards outside announcing the fireworks which are on sale. Stores are permitted to sell fireworks from December 15th until December 31st.
New rules introduced in 2024 mean that as a private person, unless you acquire special professional permission, you can only legally use fireworks only within a two-day-long time window – from December 31st to January 1st.
You'll be able to buy fireworks from major retailers or from speciality fireworks shops, often in the form of the large marquees mentioned above, which are open to do business in the said period.
Penalties for breaching the rules were increased in 2024.
The fine for using fireworks outside the permitted period is now 2,500 kroner, a 500-kroner increase from the previous rules.
Businesses which fireworks outside the authorised sales period from December 15th to 31st can be hit with a minimum fine of 10,000 kroner, double the previous amount.
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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