Sheriff Greg Champagne would like to remind the citizens of St. Charles Parish that it is ONLY LEGAL to discharge fireworks for the NEW YEARS HOLIDAY on: DECEMBER 31ST FROM 9:00 A.M. UNTIL 1:00 A.M. ON JANUARY 1ST

JANUARY 1ST FROM 9:00 A.M. UNTIL 10:00 P.M.

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office will be strictly enforcing the St. Charles Parish Ordinance as defined under Sec. 14-3 (Fireworks). Any subjects found violating the ordinance will be issued a summons to appear in court, and are subject to having all remaining fireworks seized by deputies.

If convicted for violating Sec. 14-3, you could be fined $100 and imprisoned for 30 days in jail.

Citizens of St. Charles Parish should be reminded that this holiday, like all holidays, is for everyone to enjoy. To ensure everyone’s enjoyment, specific times for fireworks have been set into place. The designated times are enforced in order to allow those that choose to discharge fireworks their opportunity to do so while allowing those that still have work or other obligations “quiet hours” for sleep or relaxation without constant disturbances from firework explosions.

Residents are urged to contact 911 if they witness a violation.

For information pertaining to the Parish Ordnance Sec. 14-3 (Fireworks), please refer to the St. Charles Parish Ordinances.

A link to the St. Charles Parish Ordinances can be found at the bottom of the St. Charles Parish Government webpage at http://www.stcharlesparish-la.gov.

• Sec. 14-3. – Fireworks.

(a) Prohibited. The storage, sale, possession and firing or other use of fireworks of any type is hereby prohibited within the parish.

(b) Exception.

(1) Supervised public displays of fireworks are hereby allowed provided the displayer has a fireworks display permit from the state fire marshal’s office and the company is insured with a minimum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) liability insurance.

(2) Each displayer shall notify the sheriff’s office and the area fire department at least ten (10) days in advance of any planned display.

(3) The possession of fireworks in accordance with laws of the State of Louisiana is hereby allowed and along with the utilization such fireworks as allowed by the laws of the State of Louisiana is hereby allowed on July 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., July 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., December 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. on January 1, and January 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., provided such fireworks are not discharged within one thousand (1,000) feet of a gas station or industrial facility or within other location(s) specifically prohibited by ordinance.

(c) Violations; Penalties.

Whoever is found guilty of violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00) or be imprisoned thirty (30) days in jail, or both.

(Code 1970, § 13-6; Ord. No. 92-10-23, § I, 10-19-92; Ord. No. 13-7-8, § I, 7-1-13).

State Law reference— General statutory maximum for penalty for ordinance violations, R.S. 33:1243.

If citizen wish to report the popping of fireworks they are urged to contact the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 783-6807.