Fire Regulations in Dakota County, MN (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated Dakota County, Minnesota.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Recreational fires in a backyard fire pit are allowed under the Minnesota State Fire Code without a DNR burn permit if kept small: no more than 3 feet in diameter, set well back from structures, attended, and burning only clean dry wood. Cities set the exact setbacks.
Fire Pit and Recreational Fire Rules, Dakota County MN
Some RestrictionsMN DNR Burning Permit rules (Minn. Stat. 88.17)
A permit is not needed for a 'campfire' - a fire set for cooking, warming, or ceremonial purposes, which is not more than 3 feet in diameter by 3 feet high, and has had the ground 5 feet from the base of the fire cleared of all combustible material.
Fireworks
Minnesota bans aerial and explosive fireworks statewide. Only ground-based, non-explosive sparkling items (sparklers, cones, fountains) are legal. Firecrackers, bottle rockets, and Roman candles are illegal everywhere in Dakota County. Cities may restrict or ban even the legal items.
Consumer Fireworks Laws in Dakota County, MN
Some RestrictionsMinn. Stat. 624.20, subd. 1(c)
The term also does not include wire or wood sparklers of not more than 100 grams of mixture per item, other sparkling items which are nonexplosive and nonaerial and contain 75 grams or less of chemical mixture per tube or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes, snakes and glow worms, smoke devices, or trick noisemakers.
Outdoor Burning
Open burning of brush, leaves, and untreated wood needs a Minnesota DNR burning permit whenever the fire is larger than a recreational fire and the ground is not snow-covered. Burning garbage, plastics, treated wood, and rubber is illegal statewide.
Open Burning Permit Rules in Dakota County, MN
Some RestrictionsMinn. Stat. 88.171, subd. 2
No person shall conduct, cause, or permit open burning of rubber, plastics, chemically treated materials, or other materials which produce excessive or noxious smoke including, but not limited to, tires, railroad ties, chemically treated lumber, composite shingles, tar paper, insulation, composition board, sheetrock, wiring, paint, or paint filters.
Smoke Detectors
Minnesota law requires every dwelling unit to have a working smoke alarm meeting the State Fire Code, placed in and near each bedroom and on every level. This is a statewide rule; Dakota County sets no separate ordinance. Landlords must install and maintain alarms in rentals.
Smoke Detector Requirements in Dakota County, MN
Some RestrictionsMinn. Stat. 299F.362, subd. 3
Every dwelling unit within a dwelling must be provided with a smoke alarm meeting the requirements of the State Fire Code.
Propane Storage
Under the Minnesota State Fire Code, propane (LP-gas) cylinders larger than 1 pound cannot be stored or used indoors at a home, including attached or detached garages. Twenty-pound grill tanks must be stored outdoors, away from doors, windows, and fresh-air intakes.
Propane Storage Rules in Dakota County, MN
Some RestrictionsMN State Fire Code / NFPA 58 (DPS SFM guidance, sec. 6109)
Cylinders larger than 1 pound must not be stored or used indoors at a residential property, including in attached and detached garages.
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