York County, SC Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in York County, SC, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Governing exception
- § 56.104(C)
- Recreational/ceremonial fires
- Exempt from open-burning ban
- Condition
- Must be conducted in a safe manner
- Baseline setback (non-exempt burning)
- 500 ft from neighbor's residence
- Maximum penalty
- $500 fine / 30 days jail per day
Summary
Unincorporated York County exempts campfires and fire pits used for recreation, ceremonies or warmth from its open-burning ban, so no burn permit or distance variance is needed for a backyard fire pit handled safely. That carve-out sits inside a nuisance ordinance that otherwise bars burning within 500 feet of a neighbor's home.
§ 56.101 BURNING NEAR RESIDENCES OR BUILDINGS. It shall be unlawful for the owner, agent or occupant of any improved or unimproved lot, parcel or tract within a developed residential, commercial or industrial portion of the unincorporated area of the county to burn any item or substance, whether contained or uncontained, within 500 feet of a residence, occupied building, occupied housing unit, occupied modular home, occupied mobile home, or commercial or industrial building other than that of the owner or occupant of such premises. ...
§ 56.104 EXCEPTIONS TO BURNING PROHIBITIONS. ...(C) Campfires and fires used solely for recreational purposes, ceremonial occasions or human warmth when conducted in a safe manner;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
101, makes it unlawful for anyone in a developed residential, commercial or industrial part of the unincorporated county to burn any item within 500 feet of a residence, occupied building, or commercial or industrial building other than their own. , and remain attended until safe. 104(A), which keeps the 500-foot distance rule, the recreational-fire exception carries no distance or hours restriction in its text, only the safety condition. Other listed exceptions cover food-preparation fires, prescribed forestry burns, agricultural disease and pest control burns, and game-management vegetation burns.
Violations & Fines
A fire that isn't genuinely recreational, ceremonial or for warmth, or one not "conducted in a safe manner," falls back under the general burning prohibitions, including the 500-foot residence setback in § 56.101 and the ozone-action-day ban in § 56.102. Violating Chapter 56's burning restrictions is punishable under § 56.999 by a fine of up to $500 or up to 30 days' imprisonment, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense, and the county may seek injunctive relief or an abatement order in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit in unincorporated York County?
How close to my neighbor's house can I put a fire pit?
Are there hour restrictions on recreational fires?
What other fires besides campfires are exempt from the burning ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
How York County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina fire regulations overview
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