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Salt Lake County, UT Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
Salt Lake County Code §9.72.140(C)(1)
Covered devices
Outdoor grills, fireplaces and smokers used to cook food
Permit needed
No permit, unlike most other open burning
Condition
Must not create a public nuisance
Fire-danger override
Local burn bans (Ch. 9.90) can still restrict use
Default penalty
Infraction under general penalty §1.12.010 if violated

Summary

Salt Lake County Code section 9.72.140(C)(1) exempts devices used mainly to prepare food, such as outdoor grills, smokers and fireplaces, from the county's open-burning permit requirement. The exemption only holds if the burning doesn't create a public nuisance and isn't otherwise barred by another law or official with jurisdiction.

City-specific rules exist: Sandy, and Salt Lake City have their own smoker rules rules that differ from Salt Lake County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

C.Permissible Burning—Without Permit. 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:1.In devices for the primary purpose of preparing food, such as outdoor grills and fireplaces;

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 49).

Full Breakdown

' The code doesn't use the word 'smoker,' but a smoker is a device whose primary purpose is preparing food, so it falls in the same no-permit category as a charcoal grill, gas grill or outdoor fireplace built for cooking. 030 as unlawfully doing something that annoys, injures or endangers three or more people. Subsection C separates food-prep devices from other no-permit categories in the same list, including campfires under the control of a responsible person, capped at an eight-foot recreation-fire ring before a special permit is required, indoor fireplaces, industrial flares, and on-premises burning of household waste at buildings of four units or fewer with no licensed disposal service. 110 still governs enforcement if a complaint is made.

Violations & Fines

Losing the exemption doesn't require a separate citation section: if a grill or smoker fire is judged a public nuisance, or a fire official orders it curtailed during a burn restriction and it continues, it becomes an unlawful open burn under section 9.72.140(B) rather than an exempt one under (C)(1). Because Chapter 9.72 has no chapter-specific fine, that violation is punished under the county's general penalty, section 1.12.010, as an infraction under state statute unless another ordinance labels it a class B or C misdemeanor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to use a smoker or grill in unincorporated Salt Lake County?
No. Section 9.72.140(C)(1) exempts devices used primarily to prepare food, including outdoor grills, smokers and fireplaces, from the health department's open-burning permit requirement. The exemption only applies if the fire doesn't create a public nuisance and isn't restricted by another law or official, such as a fire-danger burn ban.
Can a burn ban stop me from using my smoker?
Yes. The exemption in section 9.72.140(C) only applies when the burning isn't prohibited by other laws or by other officials having jurisdiction. A fire chief or fire marshal enforcing wildland-urban interface fire restrictions under Chapter 9.90 during dry, high-risk conditions can still order grills and smokers curtailed even though they normally need no permit.
What's the difference between a smoker and a campfire under this rule?
Section 9.72.140(C)(1) covers devices whose primary purpose is preparing food, like grills and smokers, with no size limit written into the ordinance. Campfires fall under a separate clause, (C)(2), that caps them at an eight-foot-diameter recreation-fire ring before a special permit is required, so the two categories are regulated differently even though both sit in subsection C.
What happens if my grill or smoker fire is reported as a nuisance?
If it's found to create a public nuisance, as defined in section 9.72.030, the fire loses its no-permit status under (C)(1) and becomes an unlawful open burn under section 9.72.140(B) instead. Because Chapter 9.72 sets no separate fine, that violation defaults to the county's general penalty, section 1.12.010.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Salt Lake County

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Snow Removal Parking RulesSome Restrictions

All Salt Lake County rules

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