Martin County, FL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Martin County, FL, 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 local fire station
- Permit hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Yard-waste setback
- 50 ft from structure, or 15 ft in waste burner
- Max burn size (waste burner)
- 8 ft by 8 ft
- Exempt
- Attended noncommercial food-prep fires
- Enforcing agency
- Martin County Fire Rescue
Summary
Open burning is illegal in unincorporated Martin County without a written burning permit from the local fire station, and permits only run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless the Fire Rescue Chief extends the window.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or association to start or maintain any fire outside of any structure or authorize any such fire to be started or maintained on any land in the unincorporated area of Martin County without first obtaining a Martin County burning permit, except where allowed under agreement with other authorized permitting agencies. The permit must be issued in writing from the fire station in which district the fire is to occur. The permit will be valid between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Fire Rescue Chief or designee may extend the period for the permit when no fire hazard or nuisance to the life or property of any person will be created by such extension.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 62 | Land Development Regulations: Supplement 62).
Full Breakdown
Sec. A of the Martin County Code of Ordinances (Chapter 79, Fire Prevention and Protection, Article 3, Martin County Burning Permit) makes it unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or association to start or maintain a fire outside of a structure anywhere in the unincorporated area without first getting a Martin County burning permit, unless another authorized permitting agency has an agreement in place. , though the Fire Rescue Chief or a designee can extend that window if the extension will not create a fire hazard or nuisance.
Sec. B carves out an exception for noncommercial food preparation fires that are no larger than needed and are constantly attended by an adult until extinguished, and Sec. C exempts any burning already permitted by the Florida Forest Service. Sec. 63 sets the conditions once a residential yard-waste burning permit is issued: the fire must sit at least 50 feet from any structure with provisions to stop it spreading, or be contained in a waste burner at least 15 feet from any structure and no larger than eight feet by eight feet; it must be constantly attended by an adult with a connected garden hose or comparable extinguishing equipment on hand; and it cannot create a hazard or nuisance from sparks, ash, smoke or odor.
Sec. 65 lets the Fire Rescue Chief restrict or suspend all permitted burning countywide or in part of the county when weather or local conditions make fires hazardous, and that restriction overrides any permit already issued. Sec. 64 makes anyone responsible for a nonstructure fire that grows into a major hazard liable to the county for the cost of extinguishing it, per a fee schedule the Board of County Commissioners sets by resolution.
Violations & Fines
Starting or maintaining an open fire in unincorporated Martin County without a valid written burning permit, or burning outside the permitted 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. window without an extension, violates Sec. 79.62.A. A person responsible for an unpermitted or uncontrolled nonstructure fire that requires Fire Rescue to extinguish it becomes liable under Sec. 79.64 for the county's full extinguishment costs, billed per a resolution-set fee schedule, and can face reduction or elimination of that charge only through a written policy approved by the Board of County Commissioners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn yard waste in unincorporated Martin County?
Can Martin County stop all burning even if I already have a permit?
Is a backyard cookout fire exempt from the Martin County burning permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Martin County
How Martin County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Martin County to another location·View the Florida fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.