Code Section

Health and Safety Code - HSC

DIVISION 11. EXPLOSIVES [12000 - 12761]

  ( Division 11 enacted by Stats. 1939, Ch. 60. )
  

PART 2. FIREWORKS AND PYROTECHNIC DEVICES [12500 - 12728]

  ( Part 2 repealed and added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 1109. )
  

CHAPTER 8. Penalties [12700 - 12706]
  ( Chapter 8 added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 1109. )

  
12700.  

(a) Except as provided in Section 12702 and subdivision (b), a person who violates any provision of this part, or any regulations issued pursuant to this part, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more than two thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(b) A person who violates any provision of this part, or any regulations issued pursuant to this part, by possessing dangerous fireworks shall be subject to the following:

(1) A person who possesses a gross weight, including packaging, of less than 25 pounds of unaltered dangerous fireworks, as defined in Section 12505, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more than two thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not exceeding one year, or both that fine and imprisonment. Upon a second or subsequent conviction, a person shall be punished by a fine of not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(2) A person who possesses a gross weight, including packaging, of not less than 25 pounds or more than 100 pounds of unaltered dangerous fireworks, as defined in Section 12505, is guilty of a public offense, and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by a fine of not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) or more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(3) A person who possesses a gross weight, including packaging, of not less than 100 pounds or more than 5,000 pounds of unaltered dangerous fireworks, as defined in Section 12505, is guilty of a public offense, and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code or a county jail for not more than one year, or by a fine of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(4) A person who possesses a gross weight, including packaging, of more than 5,000 pounds of unaltered dangerous fireworks, as defined in Section 12505, is guilty of a public offense, and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or a county jail for not more than one year, or by a fine of not less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) or more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(c) Subdivision (b) shall not apply to a person who holds and is operating within the scope of a valid license as described in Section 12516 or valid permit as described in Section 12522.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 368, Sec. 4. (AB 1403) Effective January 1, 2024.)