Merced, CA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- required before distributor can fill tank
- Barbecue exemption
- 5-gal cylinders stored outdoors
- Retail exemption
- 16.4-oz display cylinders
- RV exemption
- factory tanks up to 10 gal
- Penalty
- misdemeanor under Fire Code Sec. 113.4
Summary
Merced's Fire Code bars anyone from filling an LP-gas container without a fire-department installation permit, per Section 17.32.030.G amending California Fire Code Section 105.5.30. Backyard barbecue-size cylinders are exempt: containers up to five gallons water capacity used and stored outdoors for barbecue cooking need no permit, along with small mercantile display containers and factory-installed RV tanks.
Section 105.5.30, Chapter 1 of the 2025 California Fire Code, is amended to add the following: Section 105.5.30. LP-gas. 1. Storage and Use of LP-gas. Distributors shall not fill an LP-gas container for which a permit is required unless the fire code official has issued a permit for installation for that location. EXCEPTIONS: 1. Containers not exceeding five (5) gallon water capacity, used for 'barbecue' cooking, when used and stored outside of buildings. 2. Approved containers not exceeding sixteen and four-tenths (16.4) ounces when displayed for sale in mercantile occupancies. 3. Factory installed containers for recreational vehicles not exceeding ten (10) gallon water capacity. 4. Factory installed tanks that are permanently attached to recreational vehicles.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 - 1-26).
Full Breakdown
30 to add local LP-gas storage rules: distributors shall not fill an LP-gas container for which a permit is required unless the fire code official has issued a permit for installation for that location. That means any homeowner or business wanting a fixed LP-gas storage installation, such as a residential propane tank feeding a furnace, water heater or range, must first get an installation permit from the fire code official before any distributor can legally fill the container. 4 ounces displayed for sale in mercantile occupancies, the small disposable cylinders sold at hardware and grocery stores; factory-installed containers on recreational vehicles not exceeding ten gallons water capacity; and factory-installed tanks permanently attached to recreational vehicles.
5, which requires the fire chief or designee to inspect and approve the storage location before a permit issues, with permits valid for one year and amendable whenever a new operation is added at the same site.
Violations & Fines
Section 17.32.030.R amends Fire Code Section 113.4 to make it a misdemeanor for anyone who shall violate a provision of this Code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof, including filling or storing an LP-gas container without the required installation permit, subject to punishment in accordance with Chapter 1.12 of the Merced Municipal Code: up to a $1,000 fine, up to one year in county jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to keep a propane tank at my Merced home?
Can I buy small propane cylinders at a Merced store without a permit?
What is the penalty for filling an LP-gas tank without a Merced permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced
California rules heatmap·Compare Merced to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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