Few places in San Joaquin County draw a sharper line on fireworks than the line at the edge of Lodi's city limits. Inside the city, residents can legally buy and set off "Safe and Sane" fireworks for one day a year; a few blocks away, in the unincorporated county, every fireworks device — even the ones with the state seal — is illegal. The essentials for 2026:

• Lodi allows "Safe and Sane" fireworks. Six city-licensed nonprofit booths sell them from Sunday, June 28 through July 4; they may be set off only on July 4.

• The discharge window is narrow. In Lodi, legal fireworks may be used only on Saturday, July 4, 2026, between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. — not on the days before or after.

• Anything that flies or explodes is illegal everywhere in California — bottle rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers, and aerial shells included.

• The unincorporated county bans all fireworks, including Safe and Sane ones, with "social host" penalties added in 2025.

• Penalties are steep: Lodi is running special enforcement with local fines starting at $1,000 per violation, and state law allows fines up to $50,000 and up to a year in jail.