Rochester, NY Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)

Under § 62-6A(17) of the Municipal Code, any solicitor operating a vending unit that generates heat, such as a propane grill or stove on a food cart, must meet firesafety standards before the City will issue a license. The vending unit itself (excluding wheels, awnings, canopies and umbrellas) must be built of noncombustible material, preferably stainless steel, and any gas-fired heating device must carry a one-hundred-percent shutoff safety valve that automatically stops gas flow. Propane specifically must be stored either in the open air or inside a dedicated, properly vented compartment built of noncombustible material and used for nothing but propane; food, merchandise, goods and equipment cannot share that space.

Tanks must be securely fastened to the cart whether stored outdoors or in the vented compartment, kept upright unless the tank is designed and approved for horizontal use, and any compartment holding propane must be labeled "PROPANE" in letters at least 1 1/2 inches high. Only approved hoses carrying proper LPG labeling may be used, mounted so they stay free of vibration, kinks or tension and remain easily accessible, and propane cylinders themselves must be stored outdoors at all times. Carts with heating devices also need a fire extinguisher rated 1A-10BC.

Before the City issues any vending license or permit, the Fire Safety Division of the City of Rochester must inspect the unit for firesafety, and it must display a current annual inspection sticker; any later modification or repair to stoves, grills or propane equipment requires Fire Safety Division sign-off before the cart returns to the street.