Retailers and manufacturers of fireworks and other pyrotechnics have a new process to obtain their licenses now that state safety regulations have been changed.

According to Union County Clerk of Court Freddie Gault, anyone seeking a license to sell, buy or manufacture pyrotechnics now has to go through the office of the State Fire Marshal instead of their local clerk of court office.

“In the past, all fireworks licenses were obtained through the clerk of court office,” Gault said. “Under the new law it is all under state fire marshal’s office.”

The new statute — passed by the South Carolina Senate this year — now adequately supports the Board of Pyrotechnic Safety Regulations which became effective February 2, 2009.

“This improvement in public safety took over three years to accomplish,” said state fire marshal and deputy director of the South Carolina Division of Fire and Life Safety John G. Reich. “I assure you that the timing of the legislation was not under the Office of State Fire Marshal control. Challenges certainly create opportunities to serve. As police, sheriff deputies, local firefighters/fire marshals and building officials were conducting these inspections previously, I trust the transition to the OSFM should be relatively simple.”

The OSFM will be inspecting all new and renewal pyrotechnic license requests effective immediately. The forms are now available on the Web and an application must be completed and then approved by administrator assistant Barbara Foster at the OSFM prior to the inspection.

Gault said anyone who has a current license they received this year still can operate under that until July 15. That means anyone who has a current license is good through the Fourth of July holiday but will need to apply for a new license after the 15th.

“Someone who does not have one yet, has to go through state fire marshal’s office,” the clerk of court said. “That’s why we’re trying to get the word out now.”

Gault wants to make sure anyone who needs to get a license in time for this Fourth of July knows they can no longer come to the clerk of court office and obtain one. They now must go through Columbia and the state fire marshal’s office.

After the state license applications are approved and processed, state deputy fire marshals will be notified of the inspection requests from the OSFM via email. These inspections will be placed as a priority and conducted as soon as possible.

Deputy fire marshals are directed to contact the local fire officials of the inspection request and extend an invitation to participate in the inspection as many jurisdictions require zoning, business licenses and hazmat permits.

Key points in the new legislation include:

• An increase in the number of board members on the Board of Pyrotechnic Safety to seven and places certain responsibilities on the board.

• The initial license application and application for renewals may be approved only after an authorized agent of the board inspects the building and facilities where fireworks are to be manufactured, sold or stored for compliance with current codes and standards. In the interest of consistency and safety, the authorized agents of the board, at this time, will be OSFM personnel.

• A fire chief and his inspector, a sheriff and his deputy, a chief of police and his officer and an agent of SLED may inspect a building, facility or vehicle where fireworks may be manufactured, stored or sold and records of manufacturing, storage, sales and purchases that must be maintained. This will provide a dual path of fire and life safety from licensing to the operational phase of the business.

This statute supports new Pyrotechnic Safety Board regulations passed in 2009. Previous changes of significance to the Board of Pyrotechnic Safety and the requirements concerning the manufacturing, storage and sale of consumer fireworks occurred in the mid-1960’s.

Passage of the new regulations regarding the sale of consumer fireworks update and remove potential conflicts with Federal ATF regulations and current building and life safety codes. The requirements of the National Fire Protection Agency now constitute the minimum standards for manufacturing, storage and retail sales of all fireworks and pyrotechnic articles used in South Carolina except as modified in the new regulations.

The changes are numerous and officials recommend anyone interested or in the fireworks retail or manufacturing business review the new legislation. To read the act, go online to www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/bills/454.htm.