Greensboro, NC Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Greensboro, NC, 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
- Governing section
- City Code § 10-23
- Rule
- Leaf/brush/trash burning banned citywide
- Exception
- Permitted commercial land-clearing brush burns only
- Permit fee
- $150.00 per fire (§ 10-10)
- Minimum civil penalty
- $150.00 per violation
Summary
Burning leaves, brush, trash, or any other refuse anywhere inside Greensboro's corporate limits is outright prohibited under City Code § 10-23. The only way around it is a fire-prevention-bureau permit for commercial land-clearing brush burns, which costs $150 per fire under § 10-10.
Sec. 10-23. - Burning of leaves. The burning of leaves, brush, trash or any other refuse is prohibited within the corporate limits. EXCEPTION: The burning of brush by commercial contractors clearing large open areas properly permitted by the fire prevention bureau and in accordance with local air quality burning regulations. [Sec. 10-10, Additional permit fees:] Bonfire/Open Burning Permit — Permit to burn — $150.00 — Per Fire.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 132).
Full Breakdown
Section 10-23 states plainly that the burning of leaves, brush, trash, or any other refuse is prohibited within the corporate limits: there is no general residential yard-waste or leaf-burning allowance in Greensboro, unlike many rural jurisdictions. The single carve-out is for commercial contractors clearing large open areas, and even that requires a permit from the fire prevention bureau plus compliance with local air quality burning regulations; it is not available to homeowners burning yard debris. 00 per fire. 00. No penalty is assessed until the violator is notified by certified mail, personal service, or arrest, and citations direct payment to the city tax collector's office within 14 days of receipt.
Because burning is banned outright rather than merely restricted by season or air-quality index, residents who want to dispose of leaves or brush must use the city's yard-waste collection or private hauling rather than an open fire, and even land-clearing contractors must secure the permit before lighting anything.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the open-burning ban draws a minimum $150 civil penalty under G.S. § 160A-175, issued by the fire inspection officer via certified mail or personal delivery, due to the city tax collector within 14 days. Unpaid civil penalties become a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. § 14-4, referred to a magistrate for a summons, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves in my backyard in Greensboro?
Is there any legal way to have an open burn in Greensboro?
What's the penalty for illegal open burning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greensboro
How Greensboro compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Greensboro to another location·View the North Carolina fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle outdoor burning.