Salt Lake City, UT Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit for grills/smokers
- Not required
- Governing section
- § 9.24.150(A)
- Condition
- No public nuisance created
- Default penalty if violated
- Class B misdemeanor, up to $1,000
Summary
Salt Lake City's open-burning code exempts outdoor grills, smokers, and fireplaces used to prepare food from the permit and community-waste-disposal rules that apply to trash and yard-debris fires.
When not prohibited by other laws or by other officials having jurisdiction, and provided that a public nuisance is not created, the following types of open burning are permissible without the necessity of securing a permit: A. In devices for the primary purpose of preparing food, such as outdoor grills and fireplaces...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 9.24.150 lists the kinds of open burning allowed without a permit, and puts "devices for the primary purpose of preparing food, such as outdoor grills and fireplaces" first on that list. The exemption only holds if the fire isn't creating a public nuisance and isn't otherwise barred by other laws or officials with jurisdiction: the same section separately bans bonfires, Christmas-tree burns, and rally fires. Backyard smokers, charcoal grills, and gas grills fall squarely under the food-preparation exemption.
Violations & Fines
No permit violation for ordinary grilling or smoking, but if the fire becomes a public nuisance it falls back under § 9.24.140's general open-burning prohibition; convictions default to a class B misdemeanor (up to $1,000 fine, 6 months) under § 1.12.050.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to use a smoker or grill in my Salt Lake City yard?
Can the city still cite me for smoke from a backyard smoker?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
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Smoker Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle smoker rules.