Rockland County, NY Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Rockland County, NY, 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 for
- Open burning under FCNYS § 307
- Not covered
- Recreational fires, portable fireplaces
- Enforcing office
- County Office of Buildings and Codes
- Civil penalty
- Up to $2,000 per day
- Jurisdiction
- Village of Spring Valley only
Summary
Inside the Village of Spring Valley, Code § 23-11 requires an operating permit before conducting open burning under Fire Code of New York State Section 307. The permit rule does not cover recreational fires or portable outdoor fireplaces, which stay unregulated by this section.
Operating permits required. Operating permits are required for conducting any process or activity or for operating any type of building, structure, or facility listed below: ... Buildings, structures, facilities, processes and/or activities that are within the scope and/or permit requirements of the chapter or section title of the FCNYS as follows: ... Section 307, "Open Burning, Recreational Fires and Portable Outdoor Fireplaces." Conducting open burning, not including recreational fires and portable outdoor fireplaces;
Full Breakdown
Section 23-11A makes operating permits mandatory for a list of higher-risk processes and activities within the county's Spring Valley building-and-fire jurisdiction, issued and enforced by the Director of Buildings and Codes. Item (2)(k) specifically pulls in FCNYS Section 307, 'Open Burning, Recreational Fires and Portable Outdoor Fireplaces,' and requires a permit for 'conducting open burning,' expressly carving out recreational fires and portable outdoor fireplaces from that permit requirement. The same subsection also separately requires a permit for open flames under FCNYS Section 308, covering paint removal by torch and open flames used in assembly areas or schools (§ 23-11A(2)(l)).
Because the permit obligation is layered onto the county's temporary Spring Valley building-code jurisdiction, it applies alongside the other operating-permit categories in § 23-11A, including explosives and fireworks (Section 56), high-piled combustible storage over 500 square feet, and hazardous-materials handling above FCNYS Chapter 50 thresholds. As with every other Chapter 23 power, the Director's authority over open-burning permits exists only because the State of New York assigned Spring Valley's fire-code enforcement to the county after the village's own enforcement failed (§ 23-1A), and it expires no later than December 31, 2026 under § 23-22B, or sooner if the state relieves the county of the duty.
Fees for operating permits are set under the county's fee schedule at § 23-18, and permits can be revoked or made subject to conditions the Director deems appropriate.
Violations & Fines
Conducting open burning covered by FCNYS Section 307 without the required operating permit is a violation of Chapter 23 and the Uniform Codes, subjecting the responsible party to a civil penalty of up to $2,000 for each day the violation continues under § 23-17D, plus a possible stop-work order under § 23-7 and appearance tickets or criminal referral for disregarding a Director's order under Executive Law § 382.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn debris outdoors in Rockland County?
Are recreational fires or portable fire pits covered by this permit rule?
What happens if I burn without the required permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockland County
How Rockland County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·New York rules heatmap·Compare Rockland County to another location·View the New York fire regulations overview
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