LIHUE — Thursday was the first day retailers were allowed to sell fireworks, and the county reminds the public that firecracker permit applications are available through Dec. 31.
Erika Kleinfeld of Pacific Fireworks has been selling fireworks on Kauai for the past 24 years, and opened the doors to her current location adjacent to Aina Juice Company in the Hokulei Shopping Village.
“I just flew in on Christmas Eve,” Kleinfeld said. “I called Santa and asked if he wanted to have dinner on Christmas, but he said he was already invited to another place. Do you know how many times he’s blown Christmas dinners?”
Open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Dec. 31, or whenever she runs out of stock, Kleinfeld was greeted by former customers who asked for empty boxes to collect their purchases to celebrate 2025.
Pacific Fireworks offers a variety of pyrotechnics ranging from sparklers, fountains and other fireworks that don’t require permits.
“Our most popular items that don’t require permits is the Waikiki Lights,” Kleinfeld said. “We have more this year. But they sell fast so customers need to shop early.”
Additionally, Pacific Fireworks also carry the Cock and Duck brands of firecrackers that require a permit to purchase. These firecrackers range from a 5,000-pack to a 20,000-firecracker pack.
To apply for a firecracker permit, county officials recommend a smartphone or tablet for the application process to facilitate uploading a photo identification.
Applicants should be older than 18 years old, and should visit https://connect.kauai.gov, click on the “Kauai Fire Department” icon, and then click the “Firecracker Permit” icon. If approved, the permit will be emailed to you.
Applicants should print the permit and bring it to the Kauai Fire Department Headquarters located at 4444 Rice St., Suite 315, in Lihue from now until Dec. 31. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If a person needs assistance creating a kauai.gov account, or does not have access to a printer, the fire department staff can assist with applying and collecting payment during the fire department business hours.
Online payments are available at connect.kauai.gov. Cash and checks can be made in person at the fire department. Checks must be made out to the Director of Finance.
All permits printed on connect.kauai.gov need to be validated in person at the Kauai Fire Department Headquarters.
Additionally, county officials remind the public that fireworks and firecrackers may only be ignited on private property between 9 p.m. on Dec. 31 and 1 a.m. on Jan. 1. Only licensed pyro-technicians with proper permits are authorized to ignite aerial fireworks.
Although the following items are classified as firecrackers, no permit is required to purchase them. These include snakes, sparklers, fountains, cylindrical or cone fountains, whistles, toy smoke devices, wheels, ground spinners and other similar products.
All aerial luminaries, also known as flying lanterns, or flying luminaries, are prohibited in the State of Hawaii, per HRS 132-19.
The Kauai Fire Department advises everyone to exercise caution when igniting firecrackers, follow the listed instructions, and ensure that children are under adult supervision at all times.
For more information, contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at 808-241-4985.
