Waco, TX Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Waco does not have a smoker-specific ordinance. Wood smokers, pellet grills, offset smokers, and wood-fired pizza ovens are legal on residential property and are not restricted by McLennan County burn bans when used in commercially manufactured equipment for food preparation under Texas Local Government Code § 352.081. Persistent dense smoke that materially interferes with neighbors' use of their property can be cited under Waco's general nuisance ordinance, but enforcement against residential backyard smoking is rare — Waco is in the heart of Central Texas barbecue country and smokers are deeply rooted in local culture (the city is roughly equidistant between Lockhart and the Hill Country barbecue belts). The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulates commercial wood-fired equipment but does not regulate residential smokers. Waco Fire Department requires safe clearance from combustible construction under the locally adopted IFC. There is no city permit, decibel limit, or time-of-day limit for residential smokers. For multi-family buildings the same IFC § 308 balcony restrictions as charcoal grills apply — wood/pellet smokers cannot be operated on combustible balconies within 10 feet of combustible construction. HOAs in newer subdivisions in Hewitt-adjacent areas, Woodway-adjacent areas, and properties near Baylor commonly impose stricter covenants on smoker frequency, placement, and smoke control.