Fire Regulations in Bay County, FL (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Bay County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Bay County requires a permit, a fee set by the county commission, and compliance with the Florida Fire Protection Code before anyone can light a bonfire on the sand beach. Fires must sit in an elevated pit no wider than three feet, burn only propane or wood, run 5 p.m. to midnight, and stay clear of turtle nests, vegetation and buildings.
Bay County Beach Bonfire Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsBay County Code of Ordinances § 5-88(f)
(f)Beach bonfires.(1)It shall be unlawful for any person to ignite or maintain, or participate in the maintenance of a fire, bonfire, or campfire on the sand beach areas except in compliance with this subsection, the Florida Fire Protection Code, a permit issued by the county, and payment of any fee established by the Bay County Board of County Commissioners by resolution...(3)No fires will be ...
Fireworks
Consumer fireworks are legal in Bay County only on July 4, December 31, and January 1 under Fla. Stat. §791.08. The county can set hours and locations the rest of the year but cannot ban them on those three days.
Bay County Fireworks Regulations
Some RestrictionsFla. Stat. § 791.08(1)
New Year's Day, January 1; Independence Day, July 4; or New Year's Eve, December 31.
Outdoor Burning
Bay County bans open burning countywide the moment the county manager declares a ban, triggered by drought index readings of 500 or higher, a Red Flag Warning, or the Florida Forest Service halting burn authorizations. Violators face fines and jail time.
Bay County Open Burning Ban Rules
Significant RestrictionsBay County Code of Ordinances § 10-1
(a)Prohibition. Open burning shall be prohibited during any time that a declaration imposing a temporary ban on open burning is in effect.(b)Procedure and duration.(1)The county manager, or their designee, may issue a declaration banning open burning upon finding that the Keetch Byram Drought Index County Averages map...for Bay County or portion thereof meets or exceeds 500; or The Florida Fore...
Smoke Detectors
Before Bay County will issue a permit for a mobile or manufactured home more than ten years old, the home must pass a pre-inspection confirming, among other things, that listed smoke detectors are properly installed outside every sleeping area. Inspectors also check for a required emergency egress window or door in homes built after 1975.
Bay County Mobile Home Smoke Detectors
Some RestrictionsBay County Code of Ordinances § 6-328
(a)Applicability. This section applies to mobile homes, manufactured homes, or park trailers that are more than ten years old based on date of manufacture. ...(b)Home inspection report requirement. No mobile home/manufactured home permit shall be issued until the county has been provided with a satisfactory home inspection report and certification issued by a state licensed mobile home dealer; ...
All Bay County ordinances
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