How many fireworks can you legally carry in your car?

So you want to have a massive backyard fireworks party. There’s actually a limit to how many fireworks you can legally carry in your vehicle before you must placard it so that emergency services know what is being carried in it in the event of an accident.

There are 9 classes of dangerous goods and fireworks are explosives, class 1. They come under one of 3 UN numbers: UN 0335 (class 1.3G), UN 0336 (class 1.4G) and UN 0337 (class 1.4S). Packages must be marked with the relevant UN number.

Schedule 1 of the Land Transport Dangerous Goods Rule 2005 states that the maximum quantity is 50kg if transported for domestic or recreational purposes, for use as tools-of-trade, for agricultural use or for a commercial purpose, but not transported for hire or direct reward.

Small package exemptions apply to small quantities of explosives.

Only fireworks that are controlled under the Hazardous Substances (Fireworks) Regulations 2001 may be transported as small packages of explosives. A small package is one where the primary container is less than 5kg. A small package of dangerous goods may be carried without documentation, placarding or a D endorsement on the driver’s licence as long as it meets the above requirements.

If you have more than 50kg, or they are not classed as small packages, you must have a class 1 explosives placard on the vehicle.

If you are carrying fireworks for hire or reward, then you must have a dangerous goods D endorsement on your driver’s licence. Explosives may need to be segregated from other dangerous goods; check the segregation requirements in the D endorsement course.