Rio Rancho, NM Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Backyard barbecuing is permitted in Rio Rancho without a special permit. The city's burning regulations are aimed at open burning of weeds and trash, not cooking; barbecue pits and grills are treated as a normal household use. Operation falls under the adopted 2021 International Fire Code (Chapter 93 / 10.25 NMAC), whose open-flame-cooking provisions are the governing standard - notably restrictions on operating LP-gas or charcoal grills on combustible balconies or near combustible construction in certain multifamily settings, and the general requirement to keep cooking fires attended and clear of combustibles. The 20-pound propane cylinders used with grills are regulated under New Mexico's LP Gas Code (NFPA 58, 2020) for safe storage and exchange, again rather than by a unique Rio Rancho rule. Practical local limits come from the fire-safety context: no open fires (which the city extends to recreational/cooking fire activity) in the Rio Grande Bosque, and the expectation that any flame be attended with extinguishing means at hand, especially during high fire danger or a burn ban. For single-family homes, a standard propane or charcoal grill used responsibly on a patio or yard is allowed.