Outdoor Cooking in Hackensack, NJ (2026)
2 verified outdoor cooking rules for Hackensack, New Jersey, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
BBQ & Propane Rules
Hackensack bans portable grills and open lighted fuel such as propane, wood, paper or synthetic material on balconies or any other portion of a building. Charcoal and electric grills are specifically excluded from the ban, so they remain the only balcony-cooking option under Chapter 88.
Hackensack Balcony Grill and Propane Ban
Significant RestrictionsHackensack City Code § 88-6C
Cooking on balconies (supplement to N.J.A.C. 5:70-3, 308.1.4.1). The use of portable grills and open lighted fuel, such as propane, wood, paper, synthetic material, etc., on balconies or other portions of a building is prohibited. Specifically excluded from the operation of this section is the use of charcoal or electric grills.
Smoker Rules
Hackensack confines outdoor grilling on City parkland to designated grill areas under § 117-6(O), added in 2015. Bringing a grill or grilling device anywhere else in a park, or cooking food outside a marked grill area, is a park-conduct violation. The code has no separate citywide rule for residential backyard smokers or grills.
Hackensack, NJ Park Grilling Rules
Some RestrictionsHackensack City Code § 117-6(O)
§ 117-6. Miscellaneous prohibited activities. In public parks and public areas, no person shall: ... ... O. Bring a grill or grilling device into a park, or grill or cook food in any location except where designated grills are located.
Looking for Bergen County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Hackensack city rules.
Outdoor Cooking in Bergen County →