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Key Takeaways
Shop-bought fireworks in the UK are capped at 120 dB at their safety distance (8 m for garden F2 fireworks, 15 m for F3), and government tests measured rockets at 107–115 dB from 15 m. Professional display shells can reach 150–175 dB at the launch site.
Yes. A firework bang is impulse noise, and a single very loud impulse can cause immediate, permanent damage to the inner ear. At 120 dB the safe exposure time is under 10 seconds.
Stand at least 15–20 m from garden fireworks and as far back as a display organiser allows. Every doubling of distance lowers the level by about 6 dB, so moving from 15 m to 30 m takes a 120 dB bang down to roughly 114 dB.
Earplugs plus distance is the sensible combination. An SNR 24 dB earplug lowers the level reaching the ear by roughly 24 dB in lab conditions, and the person lighting the fireworks, who stands closest, can wear ear defenders on top.
Bonfire Night falls on Thursday 5 November 2026, and in England and Wales fireworks may be set off until midnight. On other nights the cut-off is 11 pm, except New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year, when it is 1 am.
Ringing or muffled hearing after a display often fades within 16–48 hours. Speak to a GP if it is still there after 48–72 hours or keeps coming back, and go to A&E if it comes with sudden hearing loss or vertigo, or follows a head injury.
How loud are fireworks? Loud enough that the UK government tested 72 of them, and four broke the legal limit. Shop-bought rockets measured 107–115 dB from 15 m, and the shells at a big display can hit 150–175 dB where they launch. When the government asked the public about fireworks noise in 2026, one person on a forum summed up the mood in five words: “Some really got unnecessary loud.”
At Bollsen we make reusable hearing protection that is German-tested, independently certified 24 dB and trusted by 1,000,000+ people. This guide is for adults heading out on Bonfire Night, Thursday 5 November 2026: the decibel figures by firework type, how much distance really buys you, the legal noise limit and when the bangs have to stop.
Ringing ears after a display is a warning sign that the dose was too high, and some people already live with tinnitus all year round. Our main guide to earplugs for tinnitus explains how passive silicone earplugs lower everyday noise exposure, and where their limits are.
How loud are fireworks in decibels?
In the UK, consumer fireworks measured by the government sit between about 77 dB and 122 dB at their test distance, with F3 rockets at 107–115 dB from 15 m, while professional display shells can reach 150–175 dB at the launch site. After that, the number that matters most is how far away you stand.
The table below uses the OPSS and HSE noise testing of fireworks report (January 2023), which measured 72 fireworks from 14 makers. F3 fireworks were measured at 15 m and F2 garden fireworks at 8 m. The other columns are our estimates using the inverse square law.
| Firework type (UK category) | About 1 m (calculated estimate) | 15 m | 30 m (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket (F3) | 131–139 dB | 107–115 dB (measured) | 101–109 dB |
| Battery or cake of shot tubes (F3) | 134–145 dB | 110–122 dB (measured) | 104–116 dB |
| Battery or cake (F2, measured 91–122 dB at 8 m) | 109–140 dB | 86–117 dB (estimate) | 80–111 dB |
| Roman candle (F2, measured 78–112 dB at 8 m) | 96–130 dB | 73–107 dB (estimate) | 67–101 dB |
| Fountain (measured 77–104 dB at 8 m) | 95–122 dB | 72–99 dB (estimate) | 66–93 dB |
| Professional display shells | 150–175 dB at the launch site; organisers keep spectators well back | ||
Treat the 1 m column as a rough guide, because sound this close to a firework behaves less predictably than the maths assumes. It still shows why the person lighting the fuse takes the biggest dose of the night. For display shells, the US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders puts a fireworks show at 140–160 dB, and Tinnitus UK quotes up to 175 dB.
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Life+★ 4.7 · 3,700 reviewsLife+★ 4.7 · 3,700 reviewsMusic SoundPRO★ 4.8 · 514 reviewsWatersafe+★ 4.8 · 684 reviewsLife+★ 4.7 · 3,700 reviewsWhy is a firework bang riskier than steady loud noise?
A firework produces impulse noise: a sudden peak that arrives in milliseconds, before the ear’s own protective reflex can react, so a single loud bang can overload the delicate hair cells in the cochlea. The NIDCD notes that one intense impulse can cause immediate and permanent hearing loss.
UK workplace law takes these peaks seriously. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 set peak action values of 135 dB(C) and 137 dB(C), with a 140 dB(C) exposure limit, and the calculated 1 m figures for rockets and batteries sit in and above that range.
For steady noise, the usual guideline is 85 dB over 8 hours, and every 3 dB rise halves the safe time. Follow that halving up to 120 dB and the safe exposure time drops below 10 seconds. A wider guide on how loud is too loud would compare traffic, gigs and power tools. With fireworks it is simpler: a close bang is already past that point.
How much quieter are fireworks if you stand further back?
Outdoors, the level of a firework drops by about 6 dB every time the distance doubles, which is the inverse square law. Distance is the cheapest hearing protection there is. It also works on every bang at once.
Take a firework right at the 120 dB legal limit, measured at 15 m. At 30 m it is about 114 dB, at 60 m about 108 dB and at 120 m about 102 dB. Move closer and it climbs fast: 126 dB at 7.5 m and about 132 dB at 4 m.
The British Standard used in the OPSS report (BS EN 15947) sets spectator distances of 15 m for F2 and 25 m for F3 fireworks. In a garden, treat 15–20 m as the minimum for adults watching, and step back further for batteries and rockets. Wind, buildings and trees can all push the real figure up or down by a few decibels.
What is the legal noise limit for fireworks in the UK?
Consumer fireworks sold in the UK must not exceed 120 dB(A, imp) at their safety distance under the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015, Schedule 2. That distance is at least 1 m for F1, 8 m for F2 and 15 m for F3 fireworks, not the spot where someone holds the taper.
The old 120 dB rule in the Fireworks Regulations 2004 was removed in 2010, although some websites still quote it. In the OPSS tests, 4 of 72 fireworks went over the limit, all of them batteries of shot tubes. The government ran a consultation from July to October 2026 on restricting the loudest fireworks to professional users, and the outcome is still pending.
People on forums often ask whether a 120 dB cap means shop fireworks are safe. It doesn’t: 120 dB is measured 8–15 m away and is already far above the 85 dB guideline.
Bonfire Night 2026: when do fireworks have to stop?
In England and Wales, the Fireworks Regulations 2004 ban fireworks between 11 pm and 7 am. On Bonfire Night, Thursday 5 November 2026, the cut-off is midnight. On New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year it is 1 am.
Breaking the curfew can mean a £90 on-the-spot fine, or an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison, according to gov.uk’s fireworks law page. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
What hearing protection should adults wear on Bonfire Night?
For spectators, the best combination is distance plus a pair of SNR 24 dB earplugs, which lowers the level reaching the ear by roughly 24 dB in lab conditions. The person lighting the fireworks stands much closer and is better off with ear defenders, or earplugs with ear defenders on top.
For watching from the crowd or the garden, our Life+ earplugs (SNR 24 dB, £29.95) are made from hypoallergenic silicone, reusable up to 100 uses, and come in an aluminium keyring case that fits in a coat pocket. Their attenuation rises with frequency, from about 22 dB in the lows to 35 dB at 8 kHz, so the crack of a bang is cut most while you still hear the people around you, just quieter.
An SNR is a lab average for continuous noise, so real-world fit lowers it and impulse peaks are not rated by it at all. A snug seal matters more than the number on the box. That is why Life+ is also available with AI ear measurement from two photos, so the right size arrives first time.
How much hearing protection you need depends on the noise level, how close you are and how long you stay. Our guide how much hearing protection do I need works through when a 24 dB earplug is enough and when ear defenders on top make sense for impulse noise.
Are garden fireworks louder than a public display?
Garden fireworks are smaller than display shells, but they often feel louder because people stand much closer, the bursts go off lower to the ground and the sound bounces between houses. At a public display, organisers keep spectators well back from the launch site.
The OPSS report lists wind, temperature, humidity, ground shape and reflections from buildings and trees as factors that change the level. In its tests one fountain read 110 dB because of a nearby building, well above the 77–104 dB the other fountains measured. F2 garden batteries reached up to 122 dB at 8 m, the same territory as the bigger F3 batteries.
Bonfire Night is often a family evening, and children and pets need a different plan from adults. For younger ears, see our guide to hearing protection for kids at fireworks, and if a dog is staying home, our guide to dogs and fireworks covers planning for the whole season.
When should ringing after fireworks be checked by a GP?
Ringing or muffled hearing after a display is a sign the inner ear took more noise than it could handle, and according to the NIDCD this kind of temporary hearing loss usually fades within 16–48 hours. If it is still there after 48–72 hours, keeps coming back, or affects sleep or concentration, book a GP appointment.
The NHS tinnitus page advises an urgent GP appointment if the sound beats in time with your pulse. Go to A&E or call 999 if ringing follows a head injury or comes with sudden hearing loss, weakness in the face or vertigo.
Why ringing in your ears after loud noise happens, and how long it tends to last, is a subject of its own. On the night itself, keep it simple: earplugs are not medical devices and do nothing for ringing that is already there, but they lower the noise reaching the ear at the next display.
So, Bonfire Night 2026 is a Thursday and fireworks are allowed until midnight. Rockets reach 107–115 dB from 15 m, every doubling of distance takes off about 6 dB, and the person holding the taper gets the loudest share.
Stand 15–20 m back and keep a pair of earplugs in your coat pocket. Leave the lighting to whoever has ear defenders on. Enjoy the show, and enjoy hearing it properly next year too.
His connection to hearing protection stems from personal experience with sound sensitivity during live events and work in noisy environments, an issue that made him more aware of the long-term risks of unmanaged noise exposure. Today, as both a communicator and a user of BOLLSEN products, he is passionate about raising awareness around the importance of proactive hearing care.
At BOLLSEN, he develops data-driven marketing campaigns, writes SEO-focused articles, and manages communication channels that connect customers with practical knowledge about hearing protection. His work ensures that BOLLSEN’s message—prioritizing health, performance, and sustainability reaches a global audience in an engaging and trustworthy way.
Passionate about writing since childhood, Timotej combines creativity with a strong analytical approach, continuously testing new ideas in digital marketing, performance advertising, and social media. He believes in learning through innovation and collaboration, balancing leadership with openness to new perspectives.
Beyond his professional role, Timotej is committed to a healthy lifestyle and finds inspiration in fitness, sports, and quality time with friends. His personal passion for well-being aligns with BOLLSEN’s core values, making his work not only a career but also a cause he deeply believes in.