Frequently Asked Questions
How/where can I sign up for the training?
Click the View Available Courses button to show the list of upcoming courses. Details on how to register for each date will be contained under each date.
How do I become a certified pyrotechnician?
To become a pyrotechnician with respect to professional display fireworks, you must gain both training and experience.
Please be aware that professional display fireworks is part of the entertainment industry. As with sports or acting, only a small number of people are able to make it their full-time occupation. If you are determined and willing to work hard, you may find a position with a display company and with enough experience be able to start your own.
There is no special background needed to become a pyrotechnician. However, it helps to have rudimentary carpentry skills and be able to understand simple electrical circuitry. Computer skills are also useful. Above all, in a career that involves handling explosives, a commitment to safety is essential.
- TRAINING – There are multiple ways to get training. You can complete the PGI Display Operator Course, or you can also attend training at a fireworks display company near you. (PGI members can contact us for an introduction to a fireworks display company near you.)
- EXPERIENCE – To gain experience, be prepared to volunteer. Learning to be a pyrotechnician is in some ways like an apprenticeship. Some fireworks display companies also provide paid opportunities to train and work on displays. PGI certification requires you to serve as a crew member on four displays and as a lead operator under supervision on a fifth display.
Please be aware that professional display fireworks is part of the entertainment industry. As with sports or acting, only a small number of people are able to make it their full-time occupation. If you are determined and willing to work hard, you may find a position with a display company and with enough experience be able to start your own.
There is no special background needed to become a pyrotechnician. However, it helps to have rudimentary carpentry skills and be able to understand simple electrical circuitry. Computer skills are also useful. Above all, in a career that involves handling explosives, a commitment to safety is essential.
What is the age requirement to take the PGI DOC?
Anyone of any age may attend the PGI DOC classroom and exam portion of the class but must be 21 to complete certification as a lead operator. In addition, the student must be at least 18 to participate in the live-fire portion of the class which is required for certification.
Where can I get pyrotechnics training?
PGI Display Operator Courses are provided year-round. Upcoming classes are listed on this website, and new classes are listed as soon as instructors schedule them. The cost varies and includes purchase of the PGI Display Operator Course (DOC) textbook.
You can also attend the Display Operator Course at the annual PGI convention. The convention can also provide opportunities to attend classes on topics in pyrotechnics, gain hands-on experience in display set-up, and make valuable connections.
You can also attend training at a fireworks display company. Note that most display companies only hold training programs in March or April in preparation for the summer fireworks season. PGI members can contact us for an introduction to a fireworks display company near you.
You can also attend the Display Operator Course at the annual PGI convention. The convention can also provide opportunities to attend classes on topics in pyrotechnics, gain hands-on experience in display set-up, and make valuable connections.
You can also attend training at a fireworks display company. Note that most display companies only hold training programs in March or April in preparation for the summer fireworks season. PGI members can contact us for an introduction to a fireworks display company near you.
When and where does PGI hold classes?
PGI offers the Display Operator Course directly once a year at the annual convention.
Other DOC classes are held year-round by independent, certified trainers. PGI does not organize these classes. We do share information about the classes on our website as training providers notify us.
Most trainers contact us 4 to 6 weeks before holding a class. We recommend bookmarking this page and checking back often for new class dates.
Other DOC classes are held year-round by independent, certified trainers. PGI does not organize these classes. We do share information about the classes on our website as training providers notify us.
Most trainers contact us 4 to 6 weeks before holding a class. We recommend bookmarking this page and checking back often for new class dates.
Do I have to join PGI to take the Display Operator Course or become a PGI-certified display operator?
You do not have to be a PGI member to take the Display Operator Course from an independent trainer or become PGI-certified as a display operator—although we welcome your support and fellowship!
You do not have to be a PGI member to take the Display Operator Course held during PGI convention. You do have to be a member of PGI with convention registration to attend the PGI annual convention before or after the class.
You do not have to be a PGI member to take the Display Operator Course held during PGI convention. You do have to be a member of PGI with convention registration to attend the PGI annual convention before or after the class.
Once I attend a DOC class, am I a certified display operator?
No!
PGI certification is a process. The first step is to taking and passing the DOC class. To pass, you must attend the entire class and score 80% or higher on the exam.
NOTE: The exam is written; however, accessibility accommodations such as oral exams are available for individuals who need them.
In addition, to become PGI-certified as a display operator, you must complete all the following:
PGI certification is a process. The first step is to taking and passing the DOC class. To pass, you must attend the entire class and score 80% or higher on the exam.
NOTE: The exam is written; however, accessibility accommodations such as oral exams are available for individuals who need them.
In addition, to become PGI-certified as a display operator, you must complete all the following:
- LIVE FIRE DEMONSTRATION – An outdoor live-fire demonstration usually takes place at the conclusion of the DOC class. You must attend, participate as directed by the trainer, and hand-fire a shell while being observed by the trainer.
- CREW WORK – You must work as a crew member in a significant capacity on four commercial 1.3G displays. Then you must serve as lead operator (or co-lead operator) under supervision on an additional commercial 1.3G display. Documentation of your crew work must be provided with your certification application, including operator contact information and/or certificates to help us verify the information.
- APPLICATION – Complete the application in the back of the DOC textbook. Attach documentation of your classroom and crew experience and mail the application package to the address shown on the form, along with a check for $10.00 in fees payable to PGI. If you would prefer to make electronic or credit card payment, please contact us. Please be sure to provide the complete mailing address to which your credentials can be mailed, plus your phone number and email address.
My state or county won't let me be a lead operator under supervision because they say all leads must already be PGI-certified. How can I meet PGI's requirement to serve as lead operator under supervision?
Some locales require operators to be PGI-certified in order to obtain a permit or serve as "lead of record" on a commercial 1.3G display. In these situations, you may serve as a "co-lead shooter" under supervision, participating in all portions of the display including design, purchase, transport, preparation, setup, and teardown. You should include an explanation of this in the documentation of your crew work.
My neighborhood is sponsoring a consumer-grade 1.4G firework display. Can I count this as part of my crew or lead work for PGI certification?
No. Only work on displays with 1.3G commercial grade fireworks can be counted as crew or lead work for PGI certification. Displays using articles pyrotechnic and/or consumer grade fireworks do not count toward certification.
Does the PGI display operator certification expire? Do I need to be recertified later?
PGI Display Operator Certification is valid for a term of three years from the date on the certificate.
Recertification can be obtained by submitting an application and fees of $10.00 to the address on the form, along with documentation of 8 hours of continuing education or training and work as crew or lead at least three commercial 1.3G display, with at least one as lead or co-lead.
Recertification can be obtained by submitting an application and fees of $10.00 to the address on the form, along with documentation of 8 hours of continuing education or training and work as crew or lead at least three commercial 1.3G display, with at least one as lead or co-lead.
What are the recertification requirements? Do I have to take the DOC course again?
To qualify for recertification at the end of three years, PGI-certified display operators must show continued growth in the form of continuing education/training and crew work. NFPA codes are revised and expanded by the NFPA's technical committees, and training workshops and the DOC are updated to reflect the changes.
To be eligible for recertification, you must provide documentation of 8 hours of continuing education or training in the area of fireworks display operations. This can include:
Education hours will be reviewed and may be approved or rejected at the discretion of the directors of the PGI display operator certification program. Please feel free to contact us in advance to ask if a specific training course will be accepted for recertification!
Crew work must include at least three commercial 1.3G fireworks displays. You must serve as lead or co-lead on at least one of these. Displays using articles pyrotechnic and/or consumer grade fireworks do not count as display experience for renewal.
To be eligible for recertification, you must provide documentation of 8 hours of continuing education or training in the area of fireworks display operations. This can include:
- Retaking the PGI Display Operator Course (counts as 8 hours)
- Taking DOT or Haz Mat training courses that focus on pyrotechnic display performance
- Taking other fireworks-related safety training courses
Education hours will be reviewed and may be approved or rejected at the discretion of the directors of the PGI display operator certification program. Please feel free to contact us in advance to ask if a specific training course will be accepted for recertification!
Crew work must include at least three commercial 1.3G fireworks displays. You must serve as lead or co-lead on at least one of these. Displays using articles pyrotechnic and/or consumer grade fireworks do not count as display experience for renewal.
I completed the DOC class and got my PGI certification. Can I legally purchase commercial 1.3G fireworks now?
No!
PGI Certification is never a replacement for an ATF Firework Permit/License issued by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The ATF Firework Permit/License is required by federal law to purchase, display (with proper permits), or legally transport any commercial display fireworks, which are federally regulated as explosives.
PGI Certification is never a replacement for an ATF Firework Permit/License issued by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The ATF Firework Permit/License is required by federal law to purchase, display (with proper permits), or legally transport any commercial display fireworks, which are federally regulated as explosives.
I lost my PGI certification credentials. Can I get them replaced?
Replacement certification credentials are available for a fee of $10.00. Contact us and provide your contact information and the date of certification as best you can remember so we can verify that you are eligible for replacement credentials. Replacement credentials have the same expiration date as your original credentials.
I took the DOC class but didn't get a class certificate.
PGI does not routinely issue certificates of attendance for the Display Operator Course. If you wish to have proof of course completion, you can request a course completion certificate from your lead instructor.
We do receive a roster of people who completed the course and passed the exam, which we check against certification applications. (Please note that completing the Display Operator Course is not the same as completing all the requirements for the PGI Display Operator Certification.)
We do receive a roster of people who completed the course and passed the exam, which we check against certification applications. (Please note that completing the Display Operator Course is not the same as completing all the requirements for the PGI Display Operator Certification.)
I took the DOC class but lost the PGI Operator's Certificate Application.
In the back of the DOC Study Guide, there are pages in the back that serve as your form to apply for certification. Alternatively, you may download a digital copy here.
What license or certificate is required to purchase Professional Use Only devices?
The PGI does not issue any licenses or certificates related to such fireworks and does NOT endorse using our or any other training to become eligible to purchase such fireworks.
Each state determines who is qualified to purchase professional use only materials. The best place to get that answer would be either your local Fire Marshal or State Fire Marshal’s Office.
At our convention, we offer the PGI Display Operator Certification course. This course provides information regarding the safe setup of a professional display. However, it does not qualify anyone to purchase 1.3g (display) or 1.4g professional use only products. Additional classes can be found on our website- PGI.org. Many vendors accept our training certificate for the purpose of purchasing professional use only products, however the PGI does not condone or endorse this practice.
We do offer a display fireworks operator training course. That course does NOT address the use of Articles Pyrotechnic/Pro Line Fireworks. Even though the curriculum of the class is based on use of 1.3g fireworks, there is still a significant amount of information that can be applied to any display.
We also plan to offer a course on the Saturday at the beginning of the convention this year to focus on Articles Pyrotechnic. You would not have to be a PGI member or registered for the convention event to attend this class and to receive a certificate of course completion.
Each state determines who is qualified to purchase professional use only materials. The best place to get that answer would be either your local Fire Marshal or State Fire Marshal’s Office.
At our convention, we offer the PGI Display Operator Certification course. This course provides information regarding the safe setup of a professional display. However, it does not qualify anyone to purchase 1.3g (display) or 1.4g professional use only products. Additional classes can be found on our website- PGI.org. Many vendors accept our training certificate for the purpose of purchasing professional use only products, however the PGI does not condone or endorse this practice.
We do offer a display fireworks operator training course. That course does NOT address the use of Articles Pyrotechnic/Pro Line Fireworks. Even though the curriculum of the class is based on use of 1.3g fireworks, there is still a significant amount of information that can be applied to any display.
We also plan to offer a course on the Saturday at the beginning of the convention this year to focus on Articles Pyrotechnic. You would not have to be a PGI member or registered for the convention event to attend this class and to receive a certificate of course completion.
Do I have to become PGI-certified after I take the DOC class? Should I become certified?
Most of the time, you are not required to be PGI-certified to work on a fireworks crew. Some locales do require leads to be PGI-certified since certification provides a thorough exposure to NFPA codes and good practices.
The choice of whether to become fully certified depends on your individual goals. Many shooters and crew members take the PGI Display Operator Course even if they never plan to complete their certification or become a lead shooter. The DOC class provides essential knowledge that can help people become safer, more informed shooters and crew members, whatever their role.
If you are or want to be a lead shooter on commercial displays, you may choose to be PGI-certified. The PGI Display Operator Course follows NFPA codes because virtually every fireworks insurer, as well as most states, require operators to follow these codes. Having the PGI display operator certification:
In some venues, having a PGI display operator certification can stand in lieu of being licensed, as not all states issue display operator licenses.
The choice of whether to become fully certified depends on your individual goals. Many shooters and crew members take the PGI Display Operator Course even if they never plan to complete their certification or become a lead shooter. The DOC class provides essential knowledge that can help people become safer, more informed shooters and crew members, whatever their role.
If you are or want to be a lead shooter on commercial displays, you may choose to be PGI-certified. The PGI Display Operator Course follows NFPA codes because virtually every fireworks insurer, as well as most states, require operators to follow these codes. Having the PGI display operator certification:
- Helps assure prospective clients, authorities, peers in the pyrotechnic community, and others that you know what you are doing
- Helps prove to prospective clients and authorities that you have been trained on compliance with current NFPA codes
- Verifies that you have gained practical experience by actually working on at least 5 displays. (In certain locales, this is a prerequisite for obtaining a display permit.)
In some venues, having a PGI display operator certification can stand in lieu of being licensed, as not all states issue display operator licenses.
How can I become a certified Display Operator Course trainer/instructor?
To become a certified PGI DOC instructor, you must:
When leading course under supervision, you must organize all aspects of the class, including:
Once you have been certified as an instructor, you may offer PGI Display Operator Courses independently.
Your DOC instructor certification can be renewed on request every three years at the same time you renew your PGI Display Operator Certification. You must retain PGI Display Operator Certification in order to remain a certified Display Operator Course instructor.
- Have a current PGI display operator certification
- Assist in teaching the PGI Display Operator Course in a significant role
- Arrange to conduct a PGI Display Operator Course as a lead instructor under the observation of an experienced PGI trainer, approved by the directors of the PGI display operator certification committee. (Contact us and we will help you find an eligible training supervisor.)
When leading course under supervision, you must organize all aspects of the class, including:
- Scheduling
- Obtaining a facility and shoot site
- Conducting the course and securing necessary additional instructors and assistants
- Ordering books, exams, and answer keys through PGI (as far in advance as practical)
- Proctoring the exam
- Sending the detailed class roster of all attendees, with contact information, to PGI, noting which attendees attended the whole course and passed the exam
Once you have been certified as an instructor, you may offer PGI Display Operator Courses independently.
Your DOC instructor certification can be renewed on request every three years at the same time you renew your PGI Display Operator Certification. You must retain PGI Display Operator Certification in order to remain a certified Display Operator Course instructor.