Phoenix, AZ Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cook stoves & BBQ grills
- exempt from Ch. 40
- Fire pits & outdoor fireplaces
- exempt from Ch. 40
- Wood stoves/fireplaces only
- need EPA certification, permit
- Governing law
- Phoenix City Code § 40-4(b)
Summary
Phoenix exempts cook stoves, barbecue grills, and fire pits from the fireplace and wood-stove certification rules in City Code Chapter 40: no EPA-certified appliance or installation permit is required for outdoor cooking devices.
The following installations are not regulated by this article and are not prohibited by this article: ... 2. Cook stoves, barbecue grills, and similar appliances designed primarily for cooking. 3. Fire pits, barbecue grills, and other outdoor fireplaces.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code Chapter 40, Article I regulates fireplaces and wood stoves to cut particulate and carbon monoxide pollution, requiring EPA-certified appliances and a Building Official permit before installation or alteration. Section 40-4(b) carves out "cook stoves, barbecue grills, and similar appliances designed primarily for cooking," along with "fire pits, barbecue grills, and other outdoor fireplaces": none of these are regulated or prohibited by the article. A backyard smoker, charcoal grill, gas grill, or fire pit used for cooking in Phoenix does not need the certification or installation permit a wood-burning fireplace or wood stove requires.
Violations & Fines
No violation for using a smoker, grill, or fire pit for cooking: they're expressly excluded. Installing or altering an uncertified wood-burning fireplace or wood stove without the required EPA certification or Building Official permit is what Chapter 40 actually prohibits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to use a smoker or barbecue grill in my Phoenix backyard?
Are fire pits regulated the same as wood-burning fireplaces in Phoenix?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
Compare Phoenix to another location·View the Arizona outdoor cooking overview
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