Hanover County, VA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Hanover County, VA, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Size limit
- 3 ft diameter, 2 ft height (§ 9-11)
- Permit required
- No, under § 9-12.1(a)(1)
- Attendance
- Must be attended until fully extinguished
- Extinguishing equipment
- Extinguisher, dirt, sand, hose or water truck required
- Setback for recreational fires
- No fixed distance set in the code
Summary
Hanover County Code Section 9-12.1 lets a resident keep a recreational fire, capped at 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height under Section 9-11's definition, without a burning permit, so long as the attendant has the property owner's authority to burn and stays with the fire the entire time with extinguishing equipment ready.
(c)The attendant of any permissible open burning under this section shall have legal authority from the owner or agent of the owner of the property to conduct such open burning.(d)Permissible open burning, recreational fires, and the use of portable outdoor fireplaces shall be attended at all times until the fire is extinguished. The attendant of permissible open burning, a recreational fire, or a portable outdoor fireplace shall have a means to extinguish the fire at all times, such as a portable fire extinguisher or fire extinguishing equipment, such as dirt, sand, a water barrel, a garden hose, or a water truck.
Full Breakdown
1(a)(1). That subsection authorizes camp fires and similar fires "used solely for recreational purposes, for ceremonial occasions, for outdoor noncommercial preparation of food, and for warming of outdoor workers," subject to any restrictions the fire marshal imposes. 1(c) requires whoever tends the fire to have legal authority from the property owner or the owner's agent to conduct it there. 1(d) then sets the operating rules: a recreational fire, along with any other permissible open burning or the use of a portable outdoor fireplace, "shall be attended at all times until the fire is extinguished," and the attendant must have a means to extinguish it on hand throughout, listing a portable fire extinguisher, dirt, sand, a water barrel, a garden hose or a water truck as acceptable equipment.
1(b) or the 300-foot and 500-foot setbacks Section 9-13 requires for bonfires and land-clearing burns. 1(e) reminds residents that staying within these rules does not excuse them from liability for damage or injury the fire causes, or from complying with other applicable state fire and forestry laws.
Violations & Fines
Section 9-15.1 makes a violation of Hanover County's open-burning division, including leaving a recreational fire unattended or without extinguishing equipment on hand under Section 9-12.1(d), a class 1 misdemeanor, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The fire marshal can also order an unsafe or improperly tended fire extinguished on the spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit in Hanover County?
Can I leave a fire pit going after guests go inside?
How far from my house does a fire pit need to be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hanover County
How Hanover County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Hanover County to another location·View the Virginia fire regulations overview
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