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Chesterfield County, VA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Outdoor burning rules in Chesterfield County, VA, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.

Key Facts

Seasonal ban: No open burning May through September
Yard-trimming permit: 30 days, no fee, 2/site/year
Land-clearing permit: 90 days, $400.00 fee
Insurance for land-clearing burns: $1,000,000 general liability
Minimum distance: 300-500 ft from occupied buildings
Enforcing agency: Chesterfield Fire & EMS, Fire & Life Safety
Default penalty: Up to $2,500 fine / 30 days jail

Summary

Chesterfield bans open burning outright for six months a year and requires a fire-division permit the rest of the time. County Code § 10-3 adopts the county's own Ordinance for the Regulation of Open Burning, prohibiting household trash, tire, and hazardous-waste burns entirely and shutting down all open burning from May through September.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Chesterfield County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

This article shall be known as the Chesterfield County Ordinance for the Regulation of Open Burning... No owner or other person shall cause or permit open burning or the use of a special incineration device for disposal of refuse except as provided in this ordinance. No owner or other person shall cause or permit open burning or the use of a special incineration device for disposal of household refuse or garbage... Sections A. through C. above notwithstanding, no owner or other person shall cause or permit open burning or the use of a special incineration device during the months of May, June, July, August, or September.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).

Full Breakdown

2, subsections A through E). 1 exempts recreational campfires, ceremonial fires, outdoor cooking, warming fires for outdoor workers, firefighter training burns, flare-stack destruction of combustible liquids or gases, state-approved forestry and agricultural burning, and evidence destruction directed by police or the fire marshal. Everything else needs a written permit from Chesterfield Fire & EMS, Fire and Life Safety Division. 2(A)). 2(B)). 2 shuts down all open burning countywide during May, June, July, August, and September. 1-1142, as separate state authority that still applies on top of the county's rules.

Violations & Fines

Chapter 10 sets no fire-code-specific fine for illegal open burning, so County Code § 1-5's general penalty controls: a fine of up to $2,500.00, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day of unlawful burning charged as a separate offense. Permits can also be pulled outright by the fire marshal under § 307.2.5 for any violation or false statement on the application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I burn yard debris in my own Chesterfield backyard?

Yes, with a permit. County Code § 307.2.2(A) lets a property owner burn tree and garden trimmings under a free 30-day permit, but only twice per site each year, at least 300 feet from any occupied building without the owner's written consent, and never during May through September.

Is open burning banned in the summer?

Yes. Section 307.2.2(D) prohibits all open burning and use of special incineration devices countywide during May, June, July, August, and September, regardless of any permit issued under the earlier subsections.

What can never be burned outdoors in Chesterfield?

Household refuse and garbage, tires, asphalt, crankcase oil, other petroleum or rubber materials, hazardous waste, and anything tied to a salvage or commercial operation are prohibited outright under § 307.2, with no permit available for any of them.

What happens if I burn without the required permit?

There's no fire-code-specific fine, so the county's general penalty in § 1-5 applies: up to $2,500.00, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and each day of continued burning counts as its own separate offense.

Sources & Official References

[1]Chesterfield County Code § 10-3, §§ 307.1-307.2.5 (Municode)

Other rules in Chesterfield County

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash LawsSignificant Restrictions Fire Pits & Backyard FiresLight Restrictions FireworksHeavy Restrictions Smoke DetectorsSome Restrictions Propane StorageSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower RulesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome Restrictions Fence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Cat RulesSome Restrictions

All Chesterfield County rules

How Chesterfield County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Chesterfield County to another location·View the Virginia fire regulations overview

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