(A) The license of a wholesaler of fireworks is effective for one year beginning on the first day of December, and the state fire marshal shall issue or renew a license only on that date and at no other time. If a wholesaler of fireworks wishes to continue engaging in the wholesale sale of fireworks at the particular location after its then effective license expires, it shall apply not later than the first day of October for a new license pursuant to section3743.15of the Revised Code. The state fire marshal shall send a written notice of the expiration of its license to a licensed wholesaler at least three months before the expiration date.
(B) If, during the effective period of its licensure, a licensed wholesaler of fireworks wishes to perform any construction, or make any structural change or renovation, on the premises on which the fireworks are sold, or to relocate its sales operations to a new licensed premises, the wholesaler shall notify the state fire marshal in writing. The state fire marshal may require a licensed wholesaler also to submit documentation, including, but not limited to, plans covering the proposed construction or structural change or renovation, or proposed new licensed premises, if the state fire marshal determines the documentation is necessary for evaluation purposes in light of the proposed construction, structural change or renovation, or relocation.
Upon receipt of the notification and additional documentation required by the state fire marshal, the state fire marshal shall inspect the premises on which the fireworks are sold, or the proposed new licensed premises, to determine if the proposed construction, structural change or renovation, or relocation conforms to sections3743.15to3743.21of the Revised Code, divisions (C)(1) and (2) of section3743.25of the Revised Code, and the rules adopted by the state fire marshal pursuant to section3743.18of the Revised Code. The state fire marshal shall issue a written authorization to the wholesaler for the construction, structural change or renovation, or new licensed premises if the state fire marshal determines, upon the inspection and a review of submitted documentation, that the construction, structural change or renovation, or new licensed premises conform to those sections and rules.
(C) The license of a wholesaler of fireworks authorizes the wholesaler to engage only in the following activities:
(1) Possess for sale at wholesale and sell at wholesale fireworks to persons who are licensed wholesalers of fireworks, to persons in accordance with sections3743.44to3743.46of the Revised Code, or to persons located in another state provided the fireworks are shipped directly out of this state to them by the wholesaler. The possession for sale shall be at the location described in the application for licensure or in the notification submitted under division (B) of this section, and the sale shall be from the inside of a licensed building and from no structure or device outside a licensed building. At no time shall a licensed wholesaler sell any class of fireworks outside a licensed building.
(2) Possess for sale at retail and sell at retail fireworks, other than 1.4G fireworks as designated by the state fire marshal in rules adopted pursuant to division (A) of section3743.05of the Revised Code, to licensed exhibitors in accordance with sections3743.50to3743.55of the Revised Code, and possess for sale at retail and sell at retail fireworks, including 1.4G fireworks, to persons in accordance with sections3743.44to3743.48of the Revised Code, or to persons located in another state provided the fireworks are shipped directly out of this state to them by the wholesaler. The possession for sale shall be at the location described in the application for licensure or in the notification submitted under division (B) of this section and, except as otherwise provided in section3743.48of the Revised Code, the sale shall be from the inside of the licensed building and from no other structure or device outside this licensed building. Except as otherwise provided in section3743.48of the Revised Code, a licensed wholesaler shall not sell any class of fireworks outside a licensed building.
A licensed wholesaler of fireworks shall sell under division (C) of this section only fireworks that meet the standards set by the consumer product safety commission or by the American fireworks standard laboratories or that have received an EX number from the United States department of transportation.
(D) The license of a wholesaler of fireworks shall be protected under glass and posted in a conspicuous place at the location described in the application for licensure or in the notification submitted under division (B) of this section. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the license is not transferable or assignable.
(1) The ownership of a wholesaler of fireworks license may be transferred to another person for the same location for which the license was issued, or approved pursuant to division (B) of this section, if the assets of the wholesaler are transferred to that person by inheritance or by a sale approved by the state fire marshal.
(2) The license of a wholesaler of fireworks may be geographically relocated in accordance with division (D) of section3743.75of the Revised Code.
(3) The license is subject to revocation in accordance with section3743.21of the Revised Code.
(E) The state fire marshal shall adopt rules for the expansion or contraction of a licensed premises and for the approval of an expansion or contraction. The boundaries of a licensed premises, including any geographic expansion or contraction of those boundaries, shall be approved by the state fire marshal in accordance with rules the state fire marshal adopts. If the licensed premises of a licensed wholesaler from which the wholesaler operates consists of more than one parcel of real estate, those parcels must be contiguous, unless an exception is allowed pursuant to division (F) of this section.
(F)(1) A licensed wholesaler may expand its licensed premises within this state to include not more than two storage locations that are located upon one or more real estate parcels that are noncontiguous to the licensed premises as that licensed premises exists on the date a licensee submits an application as described below, if all of the following apply:
(a) The licensee submits an application to the state fire marshal requesting the expansion and an application fee of one hundred dollars per storage location for which the licensee is requesting approval.
(b) The identity of the holder of the license remains the same at the storage location.
(c) The storage location has received a valid certificate of zoning compliance, as applicable, and a valid certificate of occupancy for each building or structure at the storage location issued by the authority having jurisdiction to issue the certificate for the storage location, and those certificates permit the distribution and storage of fireworks regulated under this chapter at the storage location and in the buildings or structures. The storage location shall be in compliance with all other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
(d) Every building or structure located upon the storage location is separated from occupied residential and nonresidential buildings or structures, railroads, highways, and any other buildings or structures on the licensed premises in accordance with the distances specified in the rules adopted by the state fire marshal pursuant to section3743.18of the Revised Code.
(e) Neither the licensee nor any person holding, owning, or controlling a five per cent or greater beneficial or equity interest in the licensee has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony under the laws of this state, any other state, or the United States, after September 29, 2005.
(f) The state fire marshal approves the application for expansion.
(2) The state fire marshal shall approve an application for expansion requested under division (F)(1) of this section if the state fire marshal receives the application fee and proof that the requirements of divisions (F)(1)(b) to (e) of this section are satisfied. The storage location shall be considered part of the original licensed premises and shall use the same distinct number assigned to the original licensed premises with any additional designations as the state fire marshal deems necessary in accordance with section3743.16of the Revised Code.
(G)(1) A licensee who obtains approval for use of a storage location in accordance with division (F) of this section shall use the site exclusively for the following activities, in accordance with division (C)(1) of this section:
(a) Packaging, assembling, or storing fireworks, which shall occur only in buildings or structures approved for such hazardous uses by the building code official having jurisdiction for the storage location or, for 1.4G fireworks, in containers or trailers approved for such hazardous uses by the state fire marshal if such containers or trailers are not subject to regulation by the building code adopted in accordance with Chapter 3781. of the Revised Code. All such storage shall be in accordance with the rules adopted by the state fire marshal under division (B)(4) of section3743.18of the Revised Code for the packaging, assembling, and storage of fireworks.
(b) Distributing fireworks to other parcels of real estate located on the wholesaler's licensed premises, to licensed manufacturers or other licensed wholesalers in this state or to similarly licensed persons located in another state or country;
(c) Distributing fireworks to a licensed exhibitor of fireworks pursuant to a properly issued permit in accordance with section3743.54of the Revised Code.
(2) A licensed wholesaler shall not engage in any sales activity, including the retail sale of fireworks otherwise permitted under division (C)(2) of this section or pursuant to section3743.44or3743.45of the Revised Code, at a storage location approved under this section.
(3) A storage location may not be relocated for a minimum period of five years after the storage location is approved by the state fire marshal in accordance with division (F) of this section.
(H) A licensee shall prohibit public access to all storage locations it uses. The state fire marshal shall adopt rules establishing acceptable measures a wholesaler shall use to prohibit access to storage sites.
(I) The state fire marshal shall not place the license of a wholesaler of fireworks in temporarily inactive status while the holder of the license is attempting to qualify to retain the license.
(J) Each licensed wholesaler of fireworks or a designee of the wholesaler, whose identity is provided to the state fire marshal by the wholesaler, annually shall attend a continuing education program. The state fire marshal shall develop the program and the state fire marshal or a person or public agency approved by the state fire marshal shall conduct it. A licensed wholesaler or the wholesaler's designee who attends a program as required under this division, within one year after attending the program, shall conduct in-service training as approved by the state fire marshal for other employees of the licensed wholesaler regarding the information obtained in the program. A licensed wholesaler shall provide the state fire marshal with notice of the date, time, and place of all in-service training. For any program conducted under this division, the state fire marshal shall, in accordance with rules adopted by the state fire marshal under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, establish the subjects to be taught, the length of classes, the standards for approval, and time periods for notification by the licensee to the state fire marshal of any in-service training.
(K) A licensed wholesaler shall maintain comprehensive general liability insurance coverage in the amount and type specified under division (B)(2) of section3743.15of the Revised Code at all times. Each policy of insurance required under this division shall contain a provision requiring the insurer to give not less than fifteen days' prior written notice to the state fire marshal before termination, lapse, or cancellation of the policy, or any change in the policy that reduces the coverage below the minimum required under this division. Prior to canceling or reducing the amount of coverage of any comprehensive general liability insurance coverage required under this division, a licensed wholesaler shall secure supplemental insurance in an amount and type that satisfies the requirements of this division so that no lapse in coverage occurs at any time. A licensed wholesaler who secures supplemental insurance shall file evidence of the supplemental insurance with the state fire marshal prior to canceling or reducing the amount of coverage of any comprehensive general liability insurance coverage required under this division.
Last updated July 29, 2025 at 11:58 AM