Are fireworks banned in the Netherlands on New Year's Eve 2026, and what does it mean in Amsterdam?
Yes. The Safe New Year's Eve Act (Wet veilige jaarwisseling) came into force on August 1, 2026, and from New Year's Eve 2026 to 2027 consumers may not possess, transport or set off category F2, F3 or F4 fireworks anywhere in the Netherlands. F1 fireworks, such as sparklers, remain allowed for people aged 12 and over, and licensed professional displays continue. Last New Year's Eve Amsterdam held an electric fireworks show on Museumplein with the largest countdown clock in the Netherlands; the city's 2026 to 2027 program had not been announced on October 20.
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Fixed prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km on New Year's Eve | €50 | fixed at booking, detours included · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km on New Year's Eve | €70 | fixed at booking, detours included · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, ride inside Amsterdam up to 10 km on New Year's Eve | €90 | fixed at booking, detours included · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
Rides inside Amsterdam up to 10 km have a fixed price per car (€50 in Business Class); a detour around closures does not change it. Longer rides are priced per kilometer and shown before you book. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. During ADE week (pickups October 20 to 26, 2026) fixed ADE-week prices apply, shown before you book; promo codes cannot be used that week. Booked less than 12 hours before pickup: +10%. At an airport or an intercity station the first 60 minutes of waiting are free, elsewhere 15 minutes; after that waiting is charged per minute at the class's hourly rate (Business €65 an hour). Free cancellation up to 1 hour before pickup.
What is included in the price
- A fixed price confirmed at booking, with VAT included: no meter and no surge
- The chauffeur’s name, car and phone number before pickup, plus e-mail reminders 24 hours and 2 hours ahead
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car
- Status updates to the person who booked, if that is not the passenger: confirmed, chauffeur en route, guest in the car, arrived
What's allowed from December 31, 2026
| Allowed? | |
|---|---|
| F1: sparklers and other novelty fireworks | Yes, aged 12 and over |
| F2: most consumer rockets and firecrackers | No; associations and foundations can ask the mayor for an exemption for a designated display |
| F3 and F4 | No |
| Professional, licensed shows | Yes |
| Bringing fireworks in from Belgium or Germany | No: possessing and transporting them is banned too |
How the ban came about
The Senate passed the Safe New Year's Eve Act, a bill from MPs Jesse Klaver and Esther Ouwehand, on July 1, 2025, and it took effect on August 1, 2026. On the last New Year's night before it applied, December 31, 2025 to January 1, 2026, a fire devastated Amsterdam's Vondelkerk, the 19th-century church by the Vondelpark; the police investigation could not establish the cause.
For visitors
Expect a quieter night in residential streets and big crowds at the official shows. Last year Amsterdam Centraal closed and trains, trams, buses and metros stopped from 20:00 to 01:00, with night buses from 01:30 and taxis still running; the 2026 times follow in December. A ride inside Amsterdam booked in advance has a fixed price, €50 in Business Class for up to 10 km.
Related questions
Will Amsterdam still have fireworks?
Professional, licensed shows remain allowed. Last year the city's show on Museumplein was an electric fireworks display for up to 60,000 people; the 2026 to 2027 program follows in December.
What's the fine?
The national rules on IPLO do not list fine amounts, so we don't quote one; the safe answer is to bring no F2, F3 or F4 fireworks at all.
Can children use sparklers?
F1 fireworks, sparklers included, are for ages 12 and over.
Sources
- IPLO: fireworks rules for New Year's Eve (Dutch) (checked October 20, 2026)
- Bijzonder Strafrecht: Senate passes the ban (Dutch) (checked October 20, 2026)
- AT5: Vondelkerk fire (Dutch) (checked October 20, 2026)
- NH Nieuws: cause of the Vondelkerk fire not established (Dutch) (checked October 20, 2026)
- Business.gov.nl (Dutch government), consumer fireworks ban from August 1, 2026, first applying at New Year 2026 to 27; F1 novelty fireworks such as sparklers and professional displays still allowed (checked September 29, 2026)
- I amsterdam, New Year’s Eve tips for 2025: public transport stopped 20:00 to 01:00, taxis still available, night buses from 01:30, show on Museumplein (checked September 29, 2026)
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