Little Rock, AR Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Little Rock, AR, 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
- Permit required
- Yes, from fire department
- Exempt
- Cooking fires, barbecues, outdoor fireplaces
- Lead time
- Apply 3+ days ahead
- Residential permit fee
- $5.00
- Commercial 30-day permit
- $250.00
Summary
Little Rock requires a fire department permit before any open burning, with cooking fires and outdoor fireplaces exempted.
A permit from the fire department is required prior to open burning. ... No open burning permit is required for fires used for cooking of food, including barbecues and outdoor fireplaces. ... Only clean fuel not containing garbage, rubber, plastics, metals, petroleum products, tires, shingles, treated lumber, or other hazardous materials is permitted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 12-8, no one may conduct open burning in Little Rock without a permit from the fire department, issued subject to conditions tied to the fire prevention code. Only clean fuel is allowed: no garbage, rubber, plastics, metals, petroleum products, tires, shingles, or treated lumber. Sec. 12-7 exempts cooking fires, including barbecues and outdoor fireplaces, from the permit requirement. Applications should go in at least three days before the requested burn date, and permits can't be transferred between people or locations (Sec. 12-10). The fire department can also extend a burn ban that blocks a permit from being used even after issuance (Sec. 12-11).
Violations & Fines
Burning without a permit, burning prohibited materials, or violating permit conditions is punishable under the general fire-code penalty in Sec. 1-9; the fire department may also revoke permission to burn under Sec. 12-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or brush in my yard in Little Rock without a permit?
Can the city stop my burn even with a valid permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Little Rock
How Little Rock compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Little Rock to another location·View the Arkansas fire regulations overview
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