Onslow County, NC Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Onslow County, NC, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Governing provision
- § 14-183(b)(2), Article V Open Burning
- Permit required
- No permit needed for camp/recreational fires
- Fuel restriction
- No synthetic material, refuse, or salvageable fuel
- Setback distance
- Not specified; nuisance standard governs instead
- Nuisance triggers
- Odor, soot, ash reaching a neighboring property
- Penalty for violation
- $100-$500 civil fine plus misdemeanor charge
- Jurisdiction
- Unincorporated Onslow County only
Summary
Camp fires and other recreational fires are allowed on private property in unincorporated Onslow County without a burning permit under Code of Ordinances § 14-183(b)(2), as long as they burn only wood, not garbage or synthetic material, and never create a nuisance. The county sets no fixed setback distance; smoke, odor, soot or ash reaching a neighbor's property triggers enforcement instead.
(2)Camp fires and fires used solely for outdoor cooking and other recreational purposes, or for ceremonial occasions, or for human warmth and comfort and which do not create a nuisance and do not use synthetic materials or refuse or salvageable materials for fuel;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
Section 14-183(b)(2) of the Onslow County Code of Ordinances carves campfires out of the county's blanket open-burning ban stated in § 14-183(a). " Unlike the leaf-and-yard-trash exception in § 14-183(b)(1), a recreational fire does not have to originate on a residence or check for public pick-up availability, so a backyard fire pit, a bonfire on private land, or a cookout fire in unincorporated Onslow County needs no burning permit from the county. " A fire that sends smoke or ash onto a neighbor's land can be cited even without a distance violation.
Burning garbage, tires, treated wood, or other "salvageable materials" in a fire pit is unlawful regardless of the fire's recreational purpose. Enforcement runs through the same officers named in § 14-184, planning and development department environmental enforcement staff, the sheriff's department, and fire marshals, and the same civil and misdemeanor penalties in § 14-185 apply if a recreational fire crosses into nuisance territory or burns prohibited fuel.
Violations & Fines
A recreational fire that creates smoke, odor or ash reaching a neighboring property, or that burns garbage, tires or other synthetic material, loses the § 14-183(b)(2) exception and becomes an ordinary open-burning violation. Enforcement officers can issue a warning citation for a first offense under § 14-184, then a district court citation. Section 14-185 penalties follow: $100 to $500 in civil fines per offense and a misdemeanor charge carrying up to 30 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a fire pit in my backyard in unincorporated Onslow County?
How far from my property line does a fire pit have to be?
Can I burn trash or yard debris in my fire pit?
Who enforces recreational fire rules in Onslow County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Onslow County
How Onslow County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Onslow County to another location·View the North Carolina fire regulations overview
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