Can You Set Off Fireworks on New Year's Eve in Bali?

Small consumer fireworks (under 2 inches in diameter and under 20 grams of powder) need no personal permit in Indonesia, but anything bigger requires a police permit. For New Year's Eve 2026, Denpasar Police issued no fireworks permits at all for Denpasar and parts of southern Badung. For New Year's Eve 2027, there was no official announcement as of 11 October 2026; last year the policy only came out around 26 December.

What is the legal basis?

Three layers of rules matter:

• Emergency Law No. 12 of 1951 covers unlawful possession of explosives and carries very heavy penalties. Police often use it against people who make or sell homemade firecrackers.
• Police Chief Regulation No. 17 of 2017 on licensing, security, supervision and control of commercial explosives. Article 3(1) classes fireworks with more than 20 grams of powder and/or a diameter above 2 inches as items that need a permit. For professional fireworks companies the process is layered: a recommendation from the provincial police chief via the intelligence and security directorate, then a permit from the National Police Chief through the head of Baintelkam (Hukumonline, 24 December 2025).
• A crowd permit from local police for events that gather many people, including New Year parties with fireworks at hotels, beach clubs or open fields.

Firecrackers (loud bangers) are different from decorative fireworks. Firecrackers that disturb public order can also fall under public order offences, including in the new Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 2023), in force since 2 January 2026.

What happened in Bali at New Year 2026?

On 26 December 2025, Denpasar Police's spokesperson said no permits or recommendations would be issued for fireworks, concerts or other New Year gatherings in Denpasar and several areas of southern Badung, following a telegram from the National Police Chief (detikBali, 26 December 2025). Permits already granted were cancelled. The stated reason was solidarity with victims of flash floods in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. Enforcement on the ground was coordinated with the Badung and Denpasar civil police units (Satpol PP).

Bali Governor Wayan Koster backed the move, while some reports described the provincial government's position as only an appeal not to overdo it. So the most accurate description is that police refused permits, rather than a total ban on every person across Bali. Police also said some locations were still allowed, without naming them. Several attractions, including GWK, replaced fireworks with laser shows.

The lesson for you: New Year policy in Bali can change in the last week of December, and a party package you booked can lose its fireworks.

Can I set off small fireworks on the beach or at my villa?

Small toy fireworks need no personal permit, and plenty of locals light them. But when police impose a ban like in 2025/2026, officers can break things up and confiscate. Villas and hotels have their own rules too; many forbid guests from lighting fireworks because thatched roofs catch fire easily. Ask the manager before you buy.

Where should you never set them off?

• In temple grounds or near a ceremony. Temple courtyards are sacred spaces. Lighting fireworks there is seen as disrespectful and can bring you into trouble with the local customary village.
• Around Ngurah Rai Airport. Tuban, Kuta and Kedonganan sit close to the flight path. The Ministry of Transport lists lanterns, balloons, lasers, kites and drones as activities that can endanger flights and need a permit inside the airport's flight safety zone (KKOP). Fireworks shooting high under the approach path carry the same risk.
• On roofs or near thatched buildings. The fire risk is real, and you are liable for the damage.

What about sky lanterns and drones?

Sky lanterns are more of a problem than small fireworks: you cannot control them, they can land still burning, and they are among the activities the ministry says need a permit in the KKOP. Bali Provincial Regulation No. 9 of 2000 also bans kites within 9 km of the airport; lanterns are not named in it, but the safety logic is the same. If you want to film fireworks with a drone, registration rules and no-fly zones are in drone rules in Bali.

Is it the same as ogoh-ogoh night before Nyepi?

No. Pengerupukan night, the eve of Nyepi, is part of a customary ceremony run by the customary village, and rules on firecrackers can differ from one banjar to the next. The next day, on Nyepi itself, even lighting a fire or a lamp is forbidden (amati geni), let alone fireworks. Details are in the Nyepi guide for visitors.

So what is the safe plan for 31 December 2026?

• Watch for announcements from Bali Regional Police and Denpasar Police in the last week of December.
• If you book a party package at a hotel or beach club, ask whether the fireworks show has a permit and what replaces it if the permit is refused.
• Do not buy homemade firecrackers from roadside sellers.
• Plan transport and accommodation early; the year-end crowd calendar is in year-end holidays in Bali.

Expect this answer to change once the 2027 New Year policy is announced; until then, assume a permit for a large show is not guaranteed.