Outdoor Cooking in Waco, TX (2026)
2 verified outdoor cooking rules for Waco, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
BBQ & Propane Rules
Waco's fire code flatly bars open flame cooking devices and charcoal burners from the patios and balconies of apartment and condo buildings, and even off the patio they must stay at least 10 feet away from the building. Single-family lots follow a separate 10-foot rule instead.
Waco Bans Grills on Multifamily Balconies
Significant RestrictionsWaco, Tex., Code of Ordinances § 10-45(a) (Outdoor fires: open flame cooking devices)
Open flame cooking devices and charcoal burners are prohibited on patios and balconies of multiple-family dwellings or within ten feet of such buildings.
Smoker Rules
Run a smoker, stove or barbecue pit inside a building, garage, carport or other enclosure in Waco and it needs a smoke pipe or vent reaching at least three feet above the roofline, fitted with an approved spark arrestor. Fully outdoor cooking equipment follows a separate setback rule instead.
Waco Vent Rule for Enclosed Smokers
Some RestrictionsWaco, Tex., Code of Ordinances § 10-44 (Indoor stoves and barbecue)
No person shall operate a stove, oven or barbecue pit, whether portable, temporary or permanent, within any building, structure or other type of enclosure unless such a stove, oven or barbecue pit is equipped with a smoke pipe or a vent extending not less than three feet in open air above the outside roof or top of such building, structure or enclosure which is equipped with an approved spark a...