Pyrotechnic Articles Directive 2013/29/EU

Last reviewed: October 2026 · Sources listed at the end of this page.

Directive 2013/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles — the "Pyrotechnic Articles Directive" — replaced Directive 2007/23/EC and has applied since 1 July 2015. It covers fireworks, theatrical pyrotechnic articles, and other pyrotechnic articles (e.g., signalling flares, smoke generators), with category-specific essential requirements, age restrictions, and labelling. Published as OJ L 178, 28.6.2013, p. 27.

Legal status and timeline

• Adoption: 12 June 2013.
• Date of application: 1 July 2015.
• Repeal of Directive 2007/23/EC: 1 July 2015.
• Transition (Article 46), now over: articles conforming to Directive 2007/23/EC could be placed on the market until 1 July 2015; certificates under that Directive are valid under Directive 2013/29/EU.
• Status in October 2026: applies. The Publications Office lists no amending act.

Scope: products covered

Article 2(1) applies the Directive to "pyrotechnic articles" — articles containing explosive substances or an explosive mixture of substances designed to produce a heat, light, sound, gas or smoke effect or a combination of such effects through self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions (Article 3(1)).

Exclusions (Article 2(2))

• Pyrotechnic articles intended for non-commercial use, in accordance with national law, by the armed forces, the police, or fire departments;
• Equipment within the scope of Directive 96/98/EC (now 2014/90/EU);
• Pyrotechnic articles for use in the aerospace industry;
• Percussion caps specifically designed for toys (the Directive refers to Directive 2009/48/EC, which the Toy Safety Regulation replaces from 1 August 2030);
• Explosives in the scope of Directive 2014/28/EU;
• Ammunition;
• Fireworks built by a manufacturer for its own use, approved for use exclusively on the territory of the Member State where it is established, and remaining there.

Categories (Article 6)

Pyrotechnic articles are classified into:

• Fireworks Category F1 — very low hazard and negligible noise level for use in confined areas, including indoor use;
• Fireworks Category F2 — low hazard and low noise level for outdoor use in confined areas;
• Fireworks Category F3 — medium hazard, outdoor use in large open areas, noise level not harmful to human health;
• Fireworks Category F4 — high hazard, for use only by persons with specialist knowledge ("fireworks for professional use"), noise level not harmful to human health;
• Theatrical pyrotechnic Category T1 — for stage use, low hazard;
• Theatrical pyrotechnic Category T2 — for use on stage by persons with specialist knowledge;
• Other pyrotechnic Category P1 — pyrotechnic articles other than fireworks and theatrical articles, low hazard;
• Other pyrotechnic Category P2 — for handling or use only by persons with specialist knowledge.

The manufacturer categorises the article, and the Notified Body confirms the category during conformity assessment (Article 6(1)).

Age limits (Article 7)

Article 7 sets minimum age limits for sale to consumers: F1 — 12 years; F2 — 16 years; F3 — 18 years; T1 and P1 — 18 years. F4, T2 and P2 may be made available only to persons with specialist knowledge (Article 7(3)). P1 articles for vehicles, such as airbag and seat belt pre-tensioner systems, may not be made available to the general public unless incorporated in a vehicle or a detachable vehicle part (Article 7(4)). Member States may raise these limits on grounds of public order, security or health and safety, and may lower them for persons vocationally trained or in training (Article 7(2)).

Essential safety requirements (Annex I)

Annex I sets the essential safety requirements: performance characteristics specified by the manufacturer; safe disposal with minimum environmental effect; correct functioning, tested under realistic conditions (composition, physical and chemical stability, sensitivity to handling and transport, moisture and temperature resistance, safety features against inadvertent ignition, instructions and markings); a prohibition on detonative explosives other than black powder and flash composition, subject to limited exceptions for P1, P2, T2 and F4; and category-specific requirements, including for fireworks minimum safety distances (1 m for F1, 8 m for F2, 15 m for F3) and a maximum noise level of 120 dB(A, imp) at the safety distance.

Conformity assessment procedures

Article 17 and Annex II provide:

• Module B (EU type-examination) + Module C2 (random checks), D, or E;
• Module G (unit verification);
• Module H (full quality assurance) — only for Category F4 fireworks.

Every route involves a Notified Body. Where that body is involved in the production control phase, its four-digit identification number follows the CE marking (Article 20(3)). To check a number, see CE number lookup.

Worked example

An importer of a Category F2 fountain made outside the EU should check that the manufacturer holds an EU-type examination certificate and a production-phase module (C2, D or E), or a Module G certificate. The label must show the registration number, category, minimum age, instructions for use, "for outdoor use only", the net explosive content and any minimum safety distance, in the official language or languages of the Member State where it is sold to consumers. Where the manufacturer is outside the EU the importer's details are also needed (Article 10). Module H is not available, because it applies only to Category F4.

Registration number

Article 9 requires manufacturers to label each pyrotechnic article with a registration number assigned by the Notified Body that carried out the conformity assessment, under the uniform numbering system set by Commission Implementing Directive 2014/58/EU. The number is structured as XXXX — YY — ZZZZ…: the four-digit Notified Body number, the category (for example F2), and a processing number assigned by the Notified Body. Manufacturers and importers must keep records of the registration numbers of the articles they make available (Article 9(2)).

Technical documentation

The contents are set in the modules in Annex II. Retention: 10 years after the article has been placed on the market (Article 8(3)). See technical documentation.

EU Declaration of Conformity

Article 18 and Annex III. See EU Declaration of Conformity.

Marking, labelling, instructions

Articles 19 and 20 govern the CE marking and the Notified Body identification number. Article 10 requires labelling, for articles other than pyrotechnic articles for vehicles, including: manufacturer (and, where relevant, importer) details; name and type of the article; registration number; product, batch or serial number; minimum age limits; category and instructions for use; year of production (for F3 and F4); minimum safety distance where appropriate; net explosive content; and category-specific statements such as "for outdoor use only". Labelling must be in the official language(s) of the Member State in which the article is made available to the consumer. Pyrotechnic articles for vehicles follow Article 11, including a safety data sheet for professional users.

Harmonised standards

EN 15947 series — fireworks Categories F1, F2 and F3 (specification, test methods, labelling, methods of construction); EN 16261 series — fireworks Category 4 for professional use; EN 16263 series — other pyrotechnic articles; EN 16256 series — theatrical pyrotechnic articles. See harmonised standards.

Recent and upcoming changes

The Publications Office lists no amending act for the Directive as of October 2026.

Related legislation

• Explosives for Civil Uses Directive 2014/28/EU — covers explosives outside the pyrotechnic scope.
• Directive 2008/68/EC on the inland transport of dangerous goods — applies in parallel for transport.
• Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 (REACH) — applies in parallel for the chemical substances used.
• Directive (EU) 2021/555 on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons, which replaced Directive 91/477/EEC — relevant to ammunition, which this Directive excludes.

Common errors

• Missing registration number. The number is mandatory in addition to the CE mark.
• Sale to under-age purchasers. Articles must not be made available to persons below the Article 7 age limits, which Member States may raise.
• Online sales without verified compliance. The Directive's obligations apply to articles offered for sale online as they do in a shop, including labelling in the language of the Member State where the article is made available to the consumer. National rules on sale and use may be stricter.
• Supplying Category F4, T2 or P2 to non-specialists. These may be made available only to persons with specialist knowledge. Member States set the procedures for identifying and authorising such persons (Article 6(2)).

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between F1, F2, F3 and F4 fireworks?

F1 is very low hazard and negligible noise for confined areas, including inside domestic buildings. F2 is low hazard and low noise for outdoor use in confined areas. F3 is medium hazard for outdoor use in large open areas. F4 is high hazard and only for persons with specialist knowledge.

What are the minimum ages for buying fireworks?

Article 7 sets 12 years for F1, 16 for F2 and 18 for F3, and 18 for T1 and P1. Member States may raise these limits, and may lower them for persons vocationally trained or in training.

What does the registration number on a firework mean?

It has the form XXXX - YY - ZZZZ: the Notified Body number, the category, and a processing number assigned by that body. It supports traceability and appears in addition to the CE marking.

Do all pyrotechnic articles need a Notified Body?

Yes. All routes in Article 17 involve a Notified Body: Module B with C2, D or E; Module G; or, for F4 only, Module H.

Are airbag igniters covered?

Yes. They are P1 articles for vehicles, with specific labelling rules in Article 11. They may not be made available to the general public unless incorporated in a vehicle or a detachable vehicle part.

Sources

• Directive 2013/29/EU (Pyrotechnic Articles) — EUR-Lex consolidated text.
• Commission Implementing Directive 2014/58/EU (registration numbers) — EUR-Lex.
• Commission Notice — Blue Guide 2022 — EUR-Lex.