Palm Beach County, FL Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Palm Beach County, FL, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- Sec. 12-81, Open Burning Ordinance
- Permit required
- No, if for exempt purpose
- Emissions limit
- No excessive visible emissions (40% opacity)
- Applies
- Countywide, incorporated and unincorporated areas
- Enforcement
- County Environmental Control Officer
Summary
Recreational campfires and bonfires are allowed without a county burn permit under the Open Burning Ordinance, but they can't produce excessive visible smoke: the standard used to police backyard fires countywide, including inside city limits.
A camp fire, bonfire, or other fire will be allowed that is used solely for recreational purposes, for ceremonial occasions, for outdoor noncommercial preparation of food, or on cold days for warming of outdoor workers as long as excessive visible emissions are not emitted.
Full Breakdown
Palm Beach County's Open Burning Ordinance (Sec. 12-71 et seq.) bans most open burning, but Sec. 12-81 carves out a specific exemption: a camp fire, bonfire, or other fire is allowed when used solely for recreational purposes, ceremonial occasions, outdoor noncommercial food preparation, or warming outdoor workers on cold days, no permit needed. The only limit is a performance standard, not a size or distance rule: the fire can't emit "excessive visible emissions," defined in Sec. 12-73 as obscuring a viewer's sight to Ringelmann Chart No. 2 (40% opacity) or worse. The ordinance applies both inside and outside the county's 39 municipalities under Sec. 12-71(c), though local fire departments can layer on their own restrictions.
Violations & Fines
Open burning that produces excessive visible emissions, or any fire outside the recreational/ceremonial/cooking/warming exemption, is enforced by the county Environmental Control Officer under Chapter 77-616, Laws of Florida: including injunctive court action to stop it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard campfire in Palm Beach County?
What can get my backyard fire shut down?
Does this rule apply inside city limits too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Beach County
How Palm Beach County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Palm Beach County to another location·View the Florida fire regulations overview
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