Disposal of flares
Dorset Police no longer accept marine distress pyrotechnics (whether they are in date or time-expired) at police stations.
For details of the safe disposal of flares, please see:
How to dispose of unwanted distress flares
Under no circumstances should time-expired flares be set off or dumped.
If you find a marine distress flare on a beach or below the high water mark, do not touch it, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Model rocket motors
You do not need a certificate for rocket motors less than 1kg net mass explosive (NME) listed in Part 1 or Part 2 of Schedule 2 part 2.
A certificate is required for rocket motors of 1kg NME and over.
Apply now
A store license is required for those over 5kg NME and fees may be incurred.
Fireworks
Unless the applicant is a Registered Firearms Dealer, applications to store fireworks are dealt with by Trading Standards in Dorset Council.
Certain offences may involve the Health & Safety Executive.
The police have a limited role in this area but are responsible for the enforcement of the Fireworks Regulations 2004, specifically:
- Regulation 4 (bans the possession fireworks by under 18s in a public place)
- Regulation 5 (allows only a fireworks professional to hold Category 4 fireworks)
- Regulation 7 (prohibits certain fireworks during night hours)
Police are also responsible for governing fireworks that require a certificate under the Explosives Regulations 2014 (ER2014).