Quick answer: Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 and Chhath Puja on 13 to 16 November 2026. As of 25 October 2026 no 2026 order found from the Bihar government, the BSPCB or the Patna administration. In 2024, Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Hajipur banned the sale and bursting of all crackers, even green ones, because of poor air quality; other towns allowed only green crackers. Until a 2026 order is out, plan a cracker-free or green-only Diwali, and wait for your district notice.

Status as of 25 Oct 2026What we found
2026 orderAs of 25 October 2026 no 2026 order found from the Bihar government, the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB), the Patna district administration or Patna police. The BSPCB website's notices and press releases showed no Diwali or Chhath cracker item.
Last order we found (2024)Sale and bursting of all crackers, including green crackers, banned in Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Hajipur; green crackers only in other towns (reported by PTI, via Deccan Herald, on 24 October 2024).
ChhathChhath Puja 2026: 13 to 16 November. No 2026 Chhath cracker order found. In 2023 BSPCB asked for a complete ban in the four cities during Diwali and Chhath (news report).
Enforcement nowPatna fire department inspections of cracker shops after a deadly blast at an illegal godown in Siwan (reported by Prabhat Khabar on 24 October 2026).
TimingsNo 2026 Bihar timing order found. National default where crackers are allowed: 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali; no sound-emitting crackers 10 PM to 6 AM.
Diwali 2026Sunday 8 November 2026.

Bihar Diwali 2026 firecracker rules at a glance

  • Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur: total ban in 2024 (and in 2023 for Diwali and Chhath); 2026 order awaited.
  • Rest of Bihar: green crackers only (2024); national default time 8 PM to 10 PM.
  • Shops: only licensed shops; no online sales; no unlicensed storage.
  • Chhath ghats: no crackers on ghats, boats or near crowds.

Is there a firecracker ban in Patna this year?

2026: not announced as of 25 October 2026.

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Why a ban is possible: in 2024 the Patna district circular cited a National Green Tribunal directive on maintaining air quality, and PTI reported that the four cities were treated as "non-attainment" cities under Central Pollution Control Board air-quality records, meaning their air had not met national standards (PTI, 24 October 2024). If air quality is poor again in November 2026, a similar ban is possible. (Official text not independently checked by HinduTone.)

If you live in one of these cities, do not buy crackers until the district administration announces its 2026 decision.

Firecracker timings in Bihar

No 2026 Bihar timing order was found. Where crackers are allowed, Direction (xiv) of the Supreme Court's 23 October 2018 judgment limits bursting on Diwali to 8 PM to 10 PM throughout India, and the Noise Rules forbid sound-emitting crackers between 10 PM and 6 AM.

Chhath Puja 2026 and crackers

Chhath Puja 2026 runs over four days: Nahay Khay on 13 November, Kharna on 14 November, Sandhya Arghya on the evening of 15 November and Usha Arghya at sunrise on 16 November. Families gather in huge numbers on the Ganga ghats in Patna and at ponds and rivers across the state.

Rules: we found no 2026 Chhath-specific cracker order. In 2023 the BSPCB, following an NGT directive, told district officials in urban areas including Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Hajipur to enforce a complete ban on all types of crackers during Diwali and Chhath, and allowed green crackers elsewhere (Patna Press, 27 October 2023). (Official text not independently checked by HinduTone.)

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  • Do not burst crackers on ghats, boats or near the water's edge where people stand in the river.
  • Keep a clear path for elderly devotees and vratis carrying soop and daura.
  • Follow the instructions of the police and ghat volunteers; ghats get crowded at Arghya times.

Arghya times by city are in our Chhath Puja 2026 Arghya time city-wise guide for Bihar; dates and vidhi in Chhath Puja 2026: dates, Arghya timings and full vidhi.

Green crackers only

Green crackers use CSIR-NEERI formulations with lower emissions. Every genuine box carries the CSIR-NEERI green logo and a QR code. In a city where all crackers are banned, even green crackers are not allowed.

The national baseline: what applies everywhere in India

Whatever Bihar announces for 2026, a few national rules apply across India. HinduTone read these in the original texts:

  • Green crackers only. In Arjun Gopal v. Union of India (judgment of 23 October 2018), the Supreme Court allowed only "improved" and "green" crackers with reduced emissions, and directed that sale be only through licensed traders. CSIR-NEERI (the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) developed the green-cracker formulations and registers manufacturers; genuine green crackers carry the CSIR-NEERI green logo and a QR code.
  • Barium salts and joined crackers banned. The same judgment banned barium salts in fireworks and banned the manufacture, sale and use of joined firecrackers ("series crackers" or "laris").
  • No online sales (2018 direction). The 2018 judgment told e-commerce websites not to accept online orders for firecrackers.
  • The 8 to 10 PM default. Direction (xiv) of the 2018 judgment limited bursting on Diwali and similar festivals to 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve to 11:55 PM to 12:30 AM, and said this applies throughout India. Some states have asked for, and announced, different two-hour windows; where a state has issued its own order, follow that order.
  • Night-time noise limit. Rule 5A(2) of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 (added in 2010) says sound-emitting firecrackers shall not be burst in a silence zone or during night time, which rule 2(j) defines as 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
  • Silence zones. Under the same rules, an area of not less than 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and courts may be declared a silence zone by the state government.
  • Police responsibility. The 2018 judgment made the local police responsible for ensuring that fireworks happen only at the permitted times and that banned crackers are not sold, with the Station House Officer personally answerable for violations.

Read the texts: Supreme Court judgment of 23 October 2018 (PDF) and Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, CPCB consolidated text (PDF).

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2026: the Supreme Court is hearing the issue again. On 30 September 2026 a bench said it would neither impose a complete ban nor allow round-the-clock fireworks, and would look for "specified time" windows; the Centre also asked it to consider a conditional relaxation for CSIR-NEERI's "next-generation joined green crackers" with reduced barium (reported by DT Next, from PTI, on 30 September 2026). On 12 October 2026 the Chief Justice's bench, hearing the Delhi-NCR pollution case, favoured designated hours and public awareness (reported by The New Indian Express on 13 October 2026). Official texts were not independently checked. As of 25 October 2026 HinduTone found no new order changing the 2018 directions on timings, barium or joined crackers; if the court issues one before Diwali, it will override what is written here.

In October 2025 the Supreme Court (M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, order of 15 October 2025) again allowed only NEERI-approved green crackers for Delhi-NCR, and noted cases where green-cracker QR codes had been sold to unregistered makers. That order was specific to Delhi-NCR, but it is a useful warning everywhere: scan the QR code and buy only from a licensed shop. (Supreme Court order of 15 October 2025, PDF.)

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Cracker shops and licences

Selling or storing crackers needs a licence under the Explosives Act, 1884 and the Explosives Rules, 2008, granted by the district administration after police and fire checks. In 2024 Patna said no sale licences would be issued in the four banned cities (PTI, 24 October 2024). (Official text not independently checked by HinduTone.)

October 2026: after an explosion at an illegal cracker godown in a house in the Jamo police station area of Siwan killed three people, the Patna district administration and fire department began special checks of cracker storage and sales. On 24 October a team led by Assistant District Fire Officer Ajit Kumar inspected about 10 cracker shops in Kadamkuan and found six selling without a valid licence (Prabhat Khabar, 24 October 2026). (Official text not independently checked by HinduTone.)

Police jurisdictions

  • Patna: the Patna district administration (District Magistrate) and Patna police under the Senior Superintendent of Police.
  • Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur (Vaishali): the district magistrate and SSP or SP of each district.
  • Rest of Bihar: the district magistrate and Superintendent of Police.

We do not have separate city pages. In an emergency call 112.

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Hospitals, schools and sensitive zones

Under the Noise Rules, sound-emitting crackers may not be burst in a silence zone (at least 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and courts, where declared) or between 10 PM and 6 AM. Keep away from hospitals, crowded markets such as Kadamkuan, fuel stations, cracker stalls and Chhath ghats.

Apartments and mohallas

  • Where crackers are allowed, choose one open area at ground level, away from parked vehicles and gas lines.
  • Burst only during the permitted time, with water, sand and an extinguisher ready.
  • No crackers on rooftops, balconies or in narrow lanes.
  • Keep a quiet space for elderly residents, babies, people who are unwell and pets.
  • Buy together from one licensed shop so every box can be QR-checked.

12 safety tips for Diwali night

  1. Buy only from a licensed shop and keep the bill. Check for the CSIR-NEERI green logo and scan the QR code on the box.
  2. Burst crackers only in an open space, away from parked vehicles, dry leaves, thatched roofs, gas cylinders and electric lines.
  3. Keep a full bucket of water and a bucket of sand nearby. Put used sparklers and duds straight into the water.
  4. Wear close-fitting cotton clothes. Avoid loose silk or synthetic saris, dupattas and kurtas near flames.
  5. Children must always be supervised by an adult. Give younger children only hand-held sparklers, held at arm's length.
  6. Light crackers with a long agarbatti or incense stick, at arm's length, and step back at once. Never lean over a cracker.
  7. Never relight a dud. Wait several minutes, then soak it in water.
  8. Never burst crackers inside a home, on a balcony, in a stairwell or in a car park, and never throw them at people or animals.
  9. Keep pets indoors in a quiet room; street dogs, cows and birds are badly frightened by loud bursts.
  10. People with asthma, heart conditions, newborns and older relatives are best kept indoors with windows closed.
  11. For a burn, cool it under clean running water for several minutes and seek medical help. Do not apply ice, toothpaste or oil.
  12. Know the emergency numbers: 112 (all emergencies), 101 (fire) and 108 (ambulance in most states).

Eco-friendly ways to celebrate

Bihar's festive season is rich without crackers: Diwali diyas, Lakshmi Puja, then the Chhath arghya at sunset and sunrise, with thekua, sugarcane and folk songs. Some ideas:

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  • Light clay diyas with sesame or ghee, and fill the doorway with rangoli, kolam or muggulu made from rice flour and flower petals.
  • Choose a short, shared community display in a permitted open space instead of many separate bursts in every lane.
  • Use sky-safe lights: LED strings, paper lanterns (akash kandil) and torans of fresh mango leaves and marigolds.
  • Spend the evening on Lakshmi Puja, a family aarti and sweets with neighbours; it is the heart of the festival.
  • If you buy crackers, buy fewer, choose green crackers with a valid QR code, and avoid high-noise bombs.

Read more: Diwali 2026 in Bihar and Jharkhand.

Frequently asked questions

Are firecrackers banned in Patna for Diwali 2026?

Not announced yet: as of 25 October 2026 we found no 2026 order. In 2024 the Patna district administration banned the sale and bursting of all crackers, including green crackers, in Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Hajipur, citing a National Green Tribunal directive (PTI, 24 October 2024). Whether that is repeated for 2026 depends on a new order, so wait for the district notice and do not buy in bulk.

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What are the cracker timings in Bihar for Diwali 2026?

No 2026 Bihar timing order was found. Where crackers are allowed and no state order applies, the Supreme Court's national default is 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali, and the Noise Rules forbid sound-emitting crackers from 10 PM to 6 AM.

Are crackers allowed during Chhath Puja 2026?

We found no 2026 Chhath-specific order. In 2023 the Bihar State Pollution Control Board told officials in Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Hajipur to enforce a complete ban on crackers during Diwali and Chhath (Patna Press, 27 October 2023). Chhath 2026 runs from 13 to 16 November. Avoid crackers on ghats and boats in any case.

Are only green crackers allowed in the rest of Bihar?

Yes. Nationally only green and improved crackers may be sold, through licensed traders. In 2024, PTI reported on 24 October, other Bihar towns allowed only green or eco-friendly crackers on Diwali. Look for the CSIR-NEERI logo and QR code.

Where can I buy licensed crackers in Patna?

Only from a shop that displays its licence. In October 2026 a fire department team found 6 of about 10 cracker shops inspected in Kadamkuan selling without a valid licence (Prabhat Khabar, 24 October 2026).

Whom do I call to report illegal cracker sales or a fire?

Call 112 for any emergency or 101 for the fire service.

Official sources

News reports used on this page:

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Last verified: 25 October 2026. Editor's note (25 October 2026): no 2026 Bihar order had been published when we checked; we will update this page when the BSPCB or district orders appear.

Disclaimer: This page is general information for families, not legal advice. Rules are set by the state government, the pollution control board, the police and the courts, and they can change at short notice, often only days before Diwali. Always follow the latest official notice for your area. If in doubt, ask your local police station.

Also read: firecracker rules in other Indian states and cities