Franklin, TN Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit for cooking fires
- None required
- Covers
- Barbecues, outdoor fireplaces
- Other open burning
- Prohibited citywide
- Enforcement
- Fire Marshal
Summary
Franklin bans open burning citywide but expressly exempts non-commercial cooking fires, including barbecues and outdoor fireplaces, which need no permit under the fire code.
No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit open burning within the entire city limits of Franklin except as set out in subsection (2).(2)Exceptions:(a)Non-commercial fires used for cooking of food including barbecues and outdoor fireplaces;...(m)Exceptions (a) and (c) above are allowed with no permit requirements.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Franklin's fire code prohibits open burning inside the entire city limits, but Sec. 7-224(2)(a) carves out non-commercial fires used for cooking food, including barbecues and outdoor fireplaces. Subsection (2)(m) confirms this exception, along with the commercial barbecue fireplace exception, carries no permit requirement. Ceremonial or recreational fires like bonfires still need a fire department permit, so a backyard smoker or grill is treated differently under the code than a bonfire.
Violations & Fines
Open burning outside the listed exceptions violates Sec. 7-224 and is enforced by the Franklin Fire Marshal, who may order a fire extinguished on the spot; violations are punishable under the Municipal Code's general penalty clause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to grill or smoke meat in my Franklin backyard?
Can I have a bonfire instead of a cookout?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin
Compare Franklin to another location·View the Tennessee outdoor cooking overview
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