St. Joseph County, IN Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in St. Joseph County, IN, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Permit default
- Township fire chief's written permission required (§ 92.02)
- Recreational exemption
- Campfires/cooking fires permitted without permit (§ 92.03(A)(4))
- Multi-unit housing
- Banned in apartments and mobile home parks (§ 92.03(A)(5))
- Fuel & timing
- Wood only, attended, out by sunset (§ 92.03(B))
- Weather ban
- No burning during unfavorable meteorological conditions (§ 92.03(B)(5))
- Violation class
- Class C civil infraction (§ 92.99(B)(2))
- Payment window
- 10 days to pay fine and avoid court costs (§ 92.99(B)(3))
Summary
St. Joseph County allows recreational campfires and cooking fires on residential property without a burn permit under Section 92.03, but only if the home has four units or fewer, only wood products are burned, an adult attends the fire at all times, and nearly all the material is consumed by sunset. Apartment complexes and mobile home parks cannot have them at all, and county commissioners can order all fires extinguished during a declared burn ban.
§ 92.02. Securing permission to burn. (A)No person shall...start or cause to be set or started...any open fire without first obtaining and having in his or her possession, written permission of the chief of the fire department of the township furnishing fire protection in the locale of any such fire. § 92.03. Control of domestic fires. (A)Not withstanding the provisions of section 92.02, the following types of fires are permitted:...(4)Fires used for recreational and cooking purposes, i.e., camp fires;(5)Residential burning where residence contains four or fewer units. Burning is prohibited in apartment complexes and mobile home parks...(B)All exemptions under subsection (A) above shall be subject to the following:(1)Only wood products shall be burned unless otherwise stated above;(2)Fires shall be attended at all times unless completely extinguished;(3)If fires create a nuisance or a fire hazard, they shall be extinguished;(4)All residential...burning shall occur during daylight hours...in such a manner that nearly all of the burning material is consumed by sunset.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
03 exempts domestic fires and several named categories from that permit requirement, including fires for scouting activities, school pep rallies, Twelfth Night ceremonies, and fires used for recreational and cooking purposes such as campfires. Residential burning is exempt only where the residence contains four or fewer units; burning is banned entirely in apartment complexes and mobile home parks. 03(B): only wood products may be burned, the fire must be attended at all times unless fully extinguished, it must be put out if it becomes a nuisance or fire hazard, and residential burning may only happen during daylight hours in a manner that leaves nearly all the material consumed by sunset.
No burning is allowed under unfavorable meteorological conditions such as temperature inversions, high winds, or air stagnation; the county health officer decides when those conditions exist and must notify law enforcement, fire departments, and local television and radio stations. 05 layers on countywide restrictions: no fire may burn unattended, no one may set a fire on a public street, alley, roadway or thoroughfare, and the county commissioners can order all fires within a township or other defined area extinguished for public safety, effective until they announce otherwise through the news media.
07 sits with the county police department, which the sheriff may delegate to the county health department or any fire department operating in the county.
Violations & Fines
A first offense under Sections 92.01 through 92.07 draws only a warning notice demanding immediate compliance. Beyond that, violating the fire-control rules is a Class C civil infraction, with each day of continued violation charged separately. A violator can pay the fine listed in the county's schedule of fines and fees directly to the traffic violations bureau within ten days of the citation to avoid court costs; unpaid judgments go to the county attorney for court enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a campfire in my backyard in St. Joseph County?
Is a fire pit allowed in an apartment complex or mobile home park?
Can the county ban all outdoor fires temporarily?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Joseph County
How St. Joseph County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare St. Joseph County to another location·View the Indiana fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.