Elkhart County, IN Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Indoor ban
- No smoking in enclosed park buildings
- Outdoor rule
- Ashes/butts only in designated receptacle
- Governing sections
- § 93.017(B) and (C)
- Maximum fine
- $1,000 under § 93.999(A)(1)
- Adopted
- Ord. 12-177, April 16, 2012
Summary
Elkhart County doesn't ban smoking across its parks outright, but § 93.017(B) makes it unlawful to smoke inside any enclosed park building, and § 93.017(C) bans dropping ashes, butts or matches anywhere on the ground, in the water or in a regular trash can in a park.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to smoke within any enclosed building within a park. (C) It shall be unlawful for any person to toss, drop, throw away, deposit or otherwise discard ashes, coals, used matches or smoking materials upon the ground, in waters or in trash containers within any park except in a fireplace or other appropriate container as defined in division (A)(2) above or in a receptacle designed and designated for the deposit of such materials.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-23: Supplement contains: Current through local legislation passed on or before July 31, 2025; and State Legislation current through 2025 Indiana Legislative Service, Pamphlet #3).
Full Breakdown
Section 93.017 of the Park Rules, from Ord. 12-177 (2012), splits smoking regulation from the fire rules in the same section. Division (B) states flatly: 'It shall be unlawful for any person to smoke within any enclosed building within a park.' That covers shelters, restrooms, nature centers and any other roofed, walled park structure; open-air smoking on trails, at picnic tables or on ball fields is not banned by this division.
Division (C) separately targets litter from smoking: 'It shall be unlawful for any person to toss, drop, throw away, deposit or otherwise discard ashes, coals, used matches or smoking materials upon the ground, in waters or in trash containers within any park except in a fireplace or other appropriate container as defined in division (A)(2) above or in a receptacle designed and designated for the deposit of such materials.' In practice, a smoker outdoors in a county park must carry out or properly extinguish and dispose of the butt, not flick it into the grass, a lake or a general litter barrel.
Violations & Fines
Smoking inside an enclosed park building or discarding a cigarette butt on park grounds, in the water, or in an ordinary trash bin violates § 93.017(B) or (C) and is punishable by up to a $1,000 fine under § 93.999(A)(1), issued by a deputized county park ranger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I smoke on an open trail in an Elkhart County park?
Where can I dispose of a cigarette butt in a county park?
Is smoking banned inside park shelters and restrooms?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elkhart County
Compare Elkhart County to another location·View the Indiana public conduct overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.