Quick answer: Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November 2026. In Uttar Pradesh only green crackers bought from licensed shops are allowed, under the Supreme Court's national rules. As of 25 October 2026 no 2026 order found from the state government, the UPPCB or the Lucknow and Varanasi police commissionerates. Without a state order the national default applies: 8 PM to 10 PM, and no loud crackers after 10 PM. Noida and Ghaziabad are in Delhi-NCR, where stricter rules apply.

Status as of 25 Oct 2026What we found
2026 state orderAs of 25 October 2026 no 2026 order found from the Uttar Pradesh government or the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB).
LucknowAs of 25 October 2026 no 2026 order found from the Lucknow Police Commissionerate or district administration on timings or shop sites.
VaranasiNo 2026 timing order found. Police have begun raids on unlicensed stocks (reported by ETV Bharat on 19 October 2026).
Noida and GhaziabadDelhi-NCR rules apply; see the NCR section of our Delhi page.
TimingsNo UP timing order found for 2026. National default: 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali (Supreme Court); no sound-emitting crackers 10 PM to 6 AM (Noise Rules).
Diwali 2026Sunday 8 November 2026.

Uttar Pradesh Diwali 2026 firecracker rules at a glance

  • Timing: no 2026 UP order yet; national default 8 PM to 10 PM.
  • Type: green crackers only; no barium, no joined "series" (ladi) crackers.
  • Shops: only licensed shops at approved sites; no online sales.
  • Storage: no bulk storage without a licence; police are raiding unlicensed stocks.
  • NCR: Noida and Ghaziabad follow the Delhi-NCR restrictions.

Cracker timings in Lucknow and Varanasi

2026: no Uttar Pradesh timing order found as of 25 October 2026. Searches of the Lucknow and Varanasi district websites found no Diwali cracker notice, and the UPPCB website did not load from our server.

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What applies without a state order: Direction (xiv) of the Supreme Court's 23 October 2018 judgment limits bursting on Diwali to 8 PM to 10 PM and says this applies throughout India. The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 also forbid sound-emitting crackers between 10 PM and 6 AM.

Police commissionerates in Uttar Pradesh often issue prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita before big festivals. If your commissionerate announces its own hours for 2026, follow that notice.

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.

  • Scan the QR code on every box before you pay.
  • Do not buy loose or unbranded crackers from vans or houses; they are often unlicensed stock.
  • Joined "series" crackers and barium-based crackers are banned nationally.

Noida, Ghaziabad and the UP districts of NCR

Noida (Gautam Buddh Nagar), Ghaziabad and the other Uttar Pradesh districts in the National Capital Region follow the Supreme Court and CAQM rules for Delhi-NCR, enforced by the UP police and district magistrates. We keep those rules in one place so they stay current: read the Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad section of our Delhi Diwali 2026 page.

The national baseline: what applies everywhere in India

Whatever Uttar Pradesh 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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History: what happened in earlier years

These are past announcements, listed with dates. They are not the 2026 rule.

DateWhat happenedSource
19 Oct 2025Lucknow: 1,018 licensed shopkeepers allowed to sell crackers at 54 sites until 21 October; Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Babloo Kumar said licences went only to traders who met safety norms, after an explosion at Behta in Gudamba.Patrika
12 Oct 2025UP Police launched a statewide drive against illegal firecracker factories before Diwali, with daily action reports required until 25 October.Patrika

Both rows are news reports; the official text was not independently checked by HinduTone.

Cracker shops and licences

Selling or storing crackers needs a licence under the Explosives Act, 1884 and the Explosives Rules, 2008. In the commissionerate cities, temporary Diwali licences and the list of shop sites come from the police commissionerate and district administration after fire checks.

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Varanasi, October 2026: police in the Bhelupur station area seized about 65.3 kg of crackers from a house at Sarainandan-Khojwa on the night of 18 October and arrested the owner, who could not show a storage licence; ETV Bharat reported a case under Section 287 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 9B of the Explosives Act (ETV Bharat, 19 October 2026). (Official text not independently checked by HinduTone.)

So buy only from a shop that displays its licence, and never stock crackers at home for resale.

Police jurisdictions

  • Lucknow: the Lucknow Police Commissionerate.
  • Varanasi: the Varanasi Police Commissionerate.
  • Noida and Ghaziabad: the Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad police commissionerates (NCR rules).
  • Kanpur, Agra, Prayagraj and others: their own police commissionerates.
  • Ayodhya and the rest of the state: the district magistrate and Senior Superintendent or Superintendent of Police.

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

Ghats, 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 crowded ghats, temple lanes in old Varanasi and Lucknow, fuel stations and cracker stalls. During Dev Deepawali on the Varanasi ghats, follow the police and organisers' instructions.

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Apartments and colonies

  • 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 basement parking.
  • 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

Uttar Pradesh has some of India's most beautiful lamp festivals: the Ayodhya Deepotsav on the Saryu and Dev Deepawali on the Varanasi ghats. Some ideas:

  • 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: Ayodhya Deepotsav and Diwali 2026 in Uttar Pradesh and Varanasi Dev Deepawali 2026.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the cracker timings in Lucknow and Varanasi for Diwali 2026?

No 2026 order yet: as of 25 October 2026 we found no Uttar Pradesh or police commissionerate order fixing timings. Where 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 only green crackers allowed in Uttar Pradesh?

Yes. Under the Supreme Court's rules only green and improved crackers may be made and sold anywhere in India, only through licensed traders. Check for the CSIR-NEERI logo and QR code.

Do the Delhi rules apply in Noida and Ghaziabad?

Noida (Gautam Buddh Nagar) and Ghaziabad are in Delhi-NCR, where the Supreme Court's stricter restrictions apply; local enforcement is by the UP police commissionerates and district magistrates. As of 25 October 2026 the Supreme Court had not relaxed the NCR restrictions. See the NCR section of our Delhi page.

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Where can I buy crackers in Lucknow?

Only from licensed shops at the sites the administration approves. In 2025 Lucknow allowed 1,018 licensed shops at 54 locations (Patrika, 19 October 2025). The 2026 list had not been published when we checked; ask your police station.

Not in bulk. Storing crackers for sale needs a licence. In October 2026 Varanasi police seized about 65 kg of crackers from a house and arrested the owner, who could not show a storage licence (ETV Bharat, 19 October 2026).

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

Call 112 for any emergency in Uttar Pradesh, or 101 for the fire service.

Official sources

The UPPCB website did not load from our server on 25 October 2026. News reports used on this page:

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Last verified: 25 October 2026. Editor's note (25 October 2026): no 2026 Uttar Pradesh order had been published when we checked; we will update this page when state or commissionerate notices 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