Outdoor burning rules in Hendersonville, TN — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
A Controlled Burn Permit is required from the Hendersonville Fire Department for any open fire on private or commercial property within city limits, except for cooking, ceremonial, or recreational fires (which are exempt). Permits are obtained from any fire station (residential) or the Fire Marshal's office at 225 Freehill Road (commercial/contractors) and are valid for one week from issue. Burning is allowed only for trees, limbs, and brush indigenous to the site - no pallets, tires, construction debris, roofing, painted/treated wood, asbestos, pesticides, herbicides, or petroleum products. Burning hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday (no Sunday burning), and no burning is allowed when sustained winds exceed 10 mph. Outside city limits in unincorporated Sumner County, the Tennessee Division of Forestry requires a free burn permit October 15 through May 15 for burning within 500 ft of forestland or grassland under TCA 68-102. The Fire Marshal may invalidate permits during adverse weather (a city-wide burn ban was imposed in spring 2026 during drought).
Hendersonville's outdoor-burning policy is administered by the Fire Prevention Bureau (615-822-1119) under Title 7 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code, which adopts the 2021 International Fire Code (effective July 1, 2025; the prior edition was the 2018 IFC, effective June 13, 2017). IFC Chapter 3 (General Requirements), Section 307 governs open burning, recreational fires, and portable outdoor fireplaces. A Controlled Burn Permit is required for any open fire on private or commercial property within the corporate limits of the City, with exemptions for: (1) cooking, ceremonial, and recreational fires - including barbecues and outdoor fireplaces; and (2) burning untreated wood in metal containers when the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (construction heat). Residential permits are obtained from any fire station; commercial/contractor permits from the Fire Marshal at 225 Freehill Road. Permits are valid for one week from date of issue. The resident must call the Fire Department each day to confirm a burn day. Specific operating limits: pile size 144 cubic feet (12 ft x 12 ft) max; 50-ft minimum setback from structures; burning only 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with no Sunday burning; no burning when sustained winds exceed 10 mph per NOAA; constant adult attendance with water source or extinguishing equipment on site. Material limited to indigenous trees, limbs, and brush. Prohibited materials include pallets, rubber tires, construction debris, roofing materials, metal parts, painted materials, asbestos, treated wood, pesticides, herbicides, and petroleum-based products. These are also prohibited under TDEC Rule 1200-03-04. Outside city limits in unincorporated Sumner 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 BurnSafeTN.org or by calling 1-877-350-BURN (2876). Sumner County itself does not have its own more-restrictive program superseding TDF. The Fire Marshal may declare a burn ban; a city-wide burn ban was issued in spring 2026 for extreme drought, withdrawing all previously issued permits.
Open burning without a Controlled Burn Permit is subject to a $250 fine for malicious burning under the Hendersonville Fire Department's burn-permit policy, enforceable under Title 7 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code by the Fire Prevention Bureau (615-822-1119). Suppression units may be dispatched to extinguish unlawful or uncontrolled fires. Burning prohibited materials (tires, treated wood, roofing, plastics) violates TDEC Rule 1200-03-04 and is separately enforceable by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Outside city limits, Tennessee Division of Forestry burn-permit violations are a Class C misdemeanor under TCA 68-102-148 (up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine).
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