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Howard County, IN Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Exempt equipment
Grills, pits, fireplaces used for cooking/heating
Condition
Fire must be contained and monitored
Ash/coal rule
Not removed until fully extinguished
No exemption
Burn barrels remain banned regardless
If exemption lost
Treated as open burning, up to $2,500/day

Summary

Grills, fire pits, and fireplaces are the one carve-out from Howard County's blanket open-burning ban: § 92.02(B)(1) lets residents cook or heat with them so long as the fire stays 'properly contained and monitored' and the coals or wood are not removed until fully extinguished. Outside that condition, a grill fire is treated the same as any other open-burning violation.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Howard County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

provided, that this ban shall not apply to fires used for cooking or heating, such as barbeque grills, pits or fireplaces, so long as such fires are properly contained and monitored and the wood or charcoal used in such fires is not removed until thoroughly extinguished; and

View official code

Full Breakdown

02 prohibits open burning of any kind across the unincorporated county, but the same subsection carves out an exception for cooking equipment. ' That is the entire rule: the code does not set a minimum distance from a structure, property line, or deck, and it does not distinguish a propane grill from a charcoal pit or wood-burning fireplace, so long as the fire meets the containment-and-monitoring standard. 02(B)(1)'s main clause. 99.

Violations & Fines

A grill, pit, or fireplace fire that is not 'properly contained and monitored,' or whose coals or wood are removed before being 'thoroughly extinguished,' forfeits the § 92.02(B)(1) exemption and is treated as open burning under the county's general penalty at § 10.99: up to $2,500, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a charcoal or propane grill in unincorporated Howard County?
Yes. Section 92.02(B)(1) exempts 'fires used for cooking or heating, such as barbeque grills, pits or fireplaces' from the county's open-burning ban, as long as the fire is 'properly contained and monitored' and the wood or charcoal is not removed until it is thoroughly extinguished. The code sets no separate distance or permit requirement for grills beyond that containment condition.
Does the grill exemption cover a wood-burning fire pit?
Yes, the same subsection lists 'pits' alongside grills and fireplaces as exempt cooking and heating equipment. The condition is the same for all three: the fire must stay contained and monitored, and the fuel cannot be removed until it is fully out. An uncontained or unattended fire pit loses the exemption and becomes an open-burning violation.
Can I burn my yard waste in a barbecue grill to get around the burn ban?
No. The exemption in § 92.02(B)(1) is limited to fires 'used for cooking or heating'; it does not authorize using a grill or pit to dispose of yard debris, construction materials, or trash. That kind of burning remains prohibited under the main clause of § 92.02(B)(1) regardless of what container holds the fire.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Howard County

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome Restrictions

All Howard County rules

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