Bursting crackers in Kochi: the 2026 timings
Deepavali falls on 8 November 2026. Here is what is actually permitted in Kochi and the rest of Kerala, and where to check before you buy.
This page is a summary, not the law. The bursting window and the permitted items are re-notified every season by Kerala Police, the local body and the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, and they can differ by district. Check the current 2026 notification before Deepavali.
The two-hour window
Bursting in Kerala is normally notified for 8:00 to 10:00 PM on Deepavali. Outside those hours it is an offence, including on the days either side of Deepavali.
Green crackers only
Kerala permits certified green crackers alone. Look for the CSIR-NEERI green logo and the QR code printed on the box, and keep the box until you have burst everything in it.
Silence zones
No bursting within 100 metres of a hospital, school, court or place of worship, at any hour. Many streets in Kochi sit inside one without a sign.
Your gated community
The apartment towers of Kakkanad and the high-rises along Marine Drive usually add a rule of their own: one open ground, a fixed hour, and nothing lit from a balcony or the terrace. Check with your association before you order.
Kerala follows the Supreme Court's two-hour window, normally notified as 8:00 to 10:00 PM on Deepavali, permits certified green crackers only, and the state government, police and pollution control board reissue the order before every festival season.
What to buy if you are in an apartment
Certified green, silent or low noise, and safe on a balcony or a shared terrace. 8 boxes from the list that meet all three.
Ordering in time
Parcels reach Kochi in 2 to 4 days from Sivakasi, and the transport lines are at their busiest in the final week. The last Deepavali order we can promise for Kerala is 1 November. See crackers delivery in Kochi for how your parcel actually arrives. Fireworks are classed as explosives, so they may not travel on Kochi Metro, on the Water Metro boats, on KSRTC buses, or by ordinary courier.
Kochi cracker timings: questions people ask
What time can I burst crackers in Kochi for Deepavali 2026?
Under the Supreme Court's standing direction, bursting is limited to two hours, and Kerala has notified that window as 8:00 to 10:00 PM on Deepavali. The order is issued afresh each year, so confirm the 2026 notification before Deepavali on 8 November 2026, and again before Vishu.
Are only green crackers allowed in Kerala?
In recent seasons Kerala has allowed certified green crackers only, in line with the Supreme Court's orders. A green cracker box carries the CSIR-NEERI green logo and a QR code, and every box this site marks as green has that certification. Confirm the current order.
Are crackers allowed in my apartment complex?
Your association decides more of that than the state does. The towers of Kakkanad and Marine Drive usually allow one open ground at a fixed hour, and many allow nothing from balconies or terraces. Ask the association first, then order.
Can we buy fireworks for a temple or public display here?
No. A temple display or any public fireworks show needs its own licence under the Explosives Rules, issued through PESO, and a licensed display operator. This site sells household crackers only, in sealed retail boxes, for a family to light at home.
What if someone bursts outside the notified hours?
It is an offence under the Environment (Protection) Act and the Noise Pollution Rules, and so is bursting within 100 metres of a hospital, school, court or place of worship. We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice: the order from Kerala Police, the local body and the Kerala State Pollution Control Board is the authority.
Can I carry crackers on Kochi Metro, the Water Metro or a bus?
No. Fireworks are classed as explosives and may not be carried on Kochi Metro, on the Water Metro boats, on KSRTC buses, or by ordinary courier. It is the same reason your parcel goes by registered road transport and not by post.
Order green crackers for Kochi
Sealed Standard Fireworks boxes, typically 85% below the printed MRP, minimum order ₹5,000. Delivery charges are not included. You pay the transport office when you collect your parcel.