Fire Regulations in St. Louis County, MO (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in St. Louis County, Missouri.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
St. Louis County allows backyard recreational fire pits without a permit, but only if the fire burns pure untreated, seasoned dry firewood, its base area stays at nine square feet or less, and no smoke, ash, or soot drifts visibly past the property line. It's one of the few exceptions carved out of the county's blanket open-burning ban.
Recreational Fire Pit Rules (St. Louis County)
Some RestrictionsSLCRO Section 612.345.2.a
Recreational fires: i. Recreational fires shall be comprised of only untreated seasoned dry fire wood which is free of leaves, needles, yard waste, garbage, rubbish, treated wood, or tree trimmings; and ii. Total cumulative base area of the fire(s) shall not exceed nine (9) square feet; and iii. The recreational fire shall not cause smoke, ash, or particulate matter to remain visible in t...
Fireworks
St. Louis County bans the sale, possession, use, discharge or explosion of fireworks anywhere the ordinance reaches, and separately bans storing fireworks on any property. The only lawful path around the ban is a Director-approved pyrotechnic display permit meeting strict clearance rules, and violators face fines up to $1,000, 90 days in jail, or both.
St. Louis County Fireworks Sale and Use Ban
Heavy RestrictionsSt. Louis County Code §§ 810.020, 810.035, 810.050
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to sell, possess, offer for sale, expose for sale, give, use, discharge or explode fireworks within St. Louis County except provided in subsection 2 of this section and Section 810.030. ...The storage or possession of any fireworks in, or on any building, structure, or premise in St. Louis County is prohibited, except for those items that...
Outdoor Burning
St. Louis County bans all open burning countywide, in both unincorporated areas and incorporated cities, unless the fire fits one of the narrow exceptions the Air Pollution Control Code spells out for recreational fires, food preparation, natural-resource conservation burns, seasonal yard-waste burning on large lots, fire-training exercises, and approved commercial land clearing.
Open Burning Ban (St. Louis County)
Significant RestrictionsSLCRO Section 612.345.1, .2
All open burning activities throughout the County, in unincorporated and incorporated portions of the County, are prohibited. 2. The following activities are permitted in the County when not prohibited by other laws, regulations, or ordinances. All other open burning not specifically exempted is prohibited unless approved by the Director. a. Recreational fires: i. Recreational fires shall...
Fire Regulations by City in St. Louis County
1 cities in St. Louis County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All St. Louis County ordinances
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