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

Cooking fires are the least-restricted category of outdoor fire in Georgetown. The Fire Department lists BBQ grills and pits as cooking fires that do not require an outdoor burn permit, distinguishing them from permitted yard-waste burning and from recreational fires. The key local requirement is a clearance distance: cooking fires in grills and pits must maintain 10 feet of distance from structures. This is shorter than the 15-foot clearance for portable fire pits and chimeneas and the 25-foot clearance for ground recreational fires, reflecting the contained nature of a cooking appliance. Only approved cooking fuels (charcoal, clean wood, or propane) should be used, and the same general safety practices apply: attend the grill while in use and keep a water source or extinguisher accessible. The propane cylinder that fuels a gas grill is regulated under Georgetown's adopted International Fire Code and the Texas Railroad Commission's NFPA 58-based LP-gas rules, but ordinary household-size grill cylinders do not trigger a separate city permit. One important caveat is that, depending on how a burn ban order is written, some county burn bans restrict open flames; however, contained cooking on a grill is commonly allowed even during bans, so residents should read the specific burn ban order or check with the Fire Marshal. Apartment and multifamily residents should also note that fire code provisions may restrict the use or storage of LP-gas grills on combustible balconies.