Dallas, TX Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Dallas enforces fire-prevention rules through Dallas Fire-Rescue under Dallas City Code Ch. 16 (Fire Prevention) adopting the 2021 International Fire Code. IFC § 308.1.4 prohibits charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction at apartments, condominiums, and similar multi-family residences. LP-gas (propane) containers larger than 1 pound are similarly restricted. Exceptions apply where the building is fully sprinklered or the device is electric. For single-family detached homes there is no city restriction on backyard charcoal, propane, or natural-gas grilling. During Dallas County burn bans declared by Commissioners Court under Texas Local Government Code § 352, commercially manufactured grills used for food preparation remain permitted; open burning of yard waste, brush, or trash is prohibited. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Ozone Action Days do not restrict residential grilling but discourage charcoal use. HOAs in apartment complexes often impose stricter rules. Commercial wood-fired equipment at restaurants requires TCEQ air permits but residential smokers do not.