Sampson County, NC Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- before any tank install, removal or retrofit
- Issuing authority
- Sampson County Fire Marshal
- Review period
- 5 working days (§ 4-5-04.A(b))
- Inspection
- required before tank is covered
- Stop-work order
- issued if work starts without permit
- Misdemeanor fine
- up to $500 major / $100 minor
- Liable parties
- owner, installer and tenant
Summary
In unincorporated Sampson County, no one may install, remove or retrofit an underground or aboveground propane or other flammable-liquid storage tank without a written permit from the county fire marshal under Sampson County Code § 4-5-04.A. The county sets no separate propane gallon limit or setback; the tank must instead meet North Carolina Fire Code requirements, and the fire marshal can halt work with a stop-work order if installation begins first.
Before any tank or lines for underground or aboveground storage of volatile flammable or combustible liquids or any other hazardous material covered by the provisions of the North Carolina Fire Code shall be installed, removed or retrofitted, a permit must be issued and shall be granted only upon written application made to the fire marshal setting forth therein the location, character, size and capacity of the tank or lines, and the purpose for which it is to be used or removed and an agreement that the applicant or user will conform to all the provisions of the North Carolina Fire Code and all other regulations then existing, and in case a pump is to be used in connection therewith, the application shall state its location with respect to the tanks and with respect to the property line. The fire marshal office is hereby authorized to issue a stop work order if work is performed before a permit has been issued. The person engaged in installing, removing or retrofitting a tank or line shall cease work immediately.
Full Breakdown
Sampson County Code § 4-5-04.A governs any underground or aboveground tank or line used to store volatile flammable or combustible liquids, or any other hazardous material covered by the North Carolina Fire Code, which includes propane and other LP-gas containers used on residential and rural properties. Before installation, removal or retrofitting begins, the property owner or contractor must file a written application with the county fire marshal stating the tank's location, character, size and capacity, its intended use, and, if a pump will be used, the pump's location relative to the tank and to the property line.
The fire marshal has five working days to confirm the proposal complies with the North Carolina Fire Code and may inspect the tank, lines and fittings both before and after installation. Once the tank and connections are placed and attached, the applicant must notify the fire marshal and wait for approval before covering the work; the fire marshal can order tanks or lines unearthed if they were covered without that inspection. If work starts before a permit issues, the fire marshal's office is authorized to issue an immediate stop-work order, and the person doing the installation must cease work at once.
The county does not print a separate numeric gallon cap or minimum setback distance for residential propane tanks in this section; those specifications flow through the adopted North Carolina Fire Code requirements referenced in the permit application. Failure to follow this permitting and inspection process is treated as a violation chargeable to the property owner, the person who performed the work, and any tenant of the premises.
Violations & Fines
Installing, removing or retrofitting a propane or other flammable-liquid tank without a fire marshal permit, or covering it before inspection, violates § 4-5-04.A and § 4-5-07. The owner, the installer and any tenant can each be cited. Under § 4-5-07.B, violations are misdemeanors carrying up to a $500 fine for a major violation or $100 for a minor one, plus civil penalties under a schedule the Board of Commissioners adopted August 4, 2008, recoverable in a civil action if unpaid within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install a propane tank in unincorporated Sampson County?
How long does the fire marshal have to review a tank permit application?
What happens if I bury a propane tank before it's inspected?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sampson County
Compare Sampson County to another location·View the North Carolina fire regulations overview
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