Franklin, TN Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

The Franklin Fire Marshal's Office prohibits open burning of brush, yard waste, and household trash inside Franklin city limits under Title 7, Chapter 2 (Fire Code) of the Franklin Municipal Code, which adopts the 2024 International Fire Code and the 2024 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. The IFC's open-burning provisions (Section 307) require approval of the fire code official, prohibit burning of materials that produce dense smoke, and require minimum setbacks - but Franklin's local enforcement policy is to deny brush and trash burn requests entirely inside the city. Campfires and bonfires require a burn permit issued by the Franklin Fire Marshal's Office (615-791-3270) and are issued only for approved recreational settings - they are not approved for burning trash or yard waste and are subject to inspection. Permits are not required for above-ground fire pits, chimineas, and smokeless fire pits used recreationally. Outside Franklin in unincorporated Williamson County, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture - Division of Forestry administers the statewide burn-permit program under TCA 68-102 and TDEC Rule 0080-03-04: from October 15 through May 15, a free burn permit is required for any outdoor burning of leaves, brush, or yard debris within 500 feet of forestland or grassland; permits are issued through the BurnSafeTN.org online portal. The City directs residents to use Sanitation and Environmental Services for legal disposal: the Solid Waste Department (615-794-1516) collects yard waste/brush curbside weekly at no additional charge. Grass clippings and small ground waste must be in brown biodegradable paper bags; larger limbs may be loose at the curb. Burning of construction debris, treated wood, painted wood, plastics, tires, and household garbage is also prohibited under Tennessee Air Pollution Control Regulations (TDEC Rule 1200-03-04) regardless of permit status.