State guides · Fire pits · Fire code
Fire pit rules by state: which fire code applies and how far it has to be
The International Fire Code sets the distances most towns enforce for backyard fire pits: 25 feet for a wood fire, 15 feet for a portable fire pit, with an exception for single-family homes and duplexes. Here’s which states run that code, how gas fire pits differ, and a quick check for your setup.
State adoption comes from the International Code Council’s April 2026 chart, which only reflects what states and towns report. Your town can amend the distances, ban fires on bad air or dry days, or have its own burning ordinance, so the local fire department has the final word. Checked Nov. 12, 2026; not legal advice.
Is my fire pit far enough from the house?
Measure from the edge of the fire, not the center. Checks the model fire code; your town may differ.
| Pick your fire pit type and enter the distance |
The distances in the model fire code
| Fire | Distance | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Wood fire pit or ring (a recreational fire up to 3 ft across and 2 ft high) | 25 ft | From any structure or combustible material, and anything that could spread the fire within 25 ft has to be cleared first (IFC 307.4.2). |
| Portable wood fire pit or chiminea (portable outdoor fireplace) | 15 ft | Used per the manufacturer’s instructions and not within 15 ft of a structure or combustible material, except at one- and two-family homes (IFC 307.4.3). |
| Gas or propane fire pit or table | Listed clearance | No separate IFC distance. Listed outdoor decorative gas appliances (ANSI Z21.97) go in under the fuel gas code and the maker’s clearances. Ohio adds 15 ft. |
| Grills and open-flame cooking | 10 ft | Not on combustible balconies or within 10 ft of combustible construction, except at one- and two-family homes (IFC 308.1.4). |
| Open burning (brush piles, bonfires) | 50 ft | From any structure; 25 ft for a pile no bigger than 3 ft across and 2 ft high, 15 ft in an approved container (IFC 307.4). |
From the 2021 IFC as quoted by Salt Lake City Fire, Birmingham, MI and Ann Arbor, and the Ohio Fire Code (which adopts the same text); gas appliance standard per Fort Collins. Every fire must be attended, with a hose, extinguisher, sand or dirt on hand. More detail, including maker clearances and towns with their own numbers: how far a fire pit should be from the house.
The model code has no separate line for a permanent masonry fire pit, so whether it’s held to the 25-ft recreational fire rule is your local fire official’s call. Planning for 25 ft is the safe bet.
A listed gas fire pit or table goes by its own clearances, which are usually much shorter than 25 ft, and it throws no embers. It still needs the gas line run under your fuel gas code.
The UCC adopts the IFC only in part, for construction. Backyard fire rules come from your township’s or borough’s fire code ordinance (many adopt the IFC) and the state’s burning rules. Plan on 25 ft for a wood pit.
Pennsylvania: the UCC adopts ICC codes “in whole or in part” (48 Pa.B. 6261); towns that want the rest of the IFC adopt it by ordinance (L&I municipal ordinance list).
Fire code by state
In ICC’s April 2026 chart, 29 states plus D.C. list a statewide IFC edition, 10 adopt it only locally and 9 report no IFC adoption; Massachusetts uses portions and New Jersey lists the edition its building code references.
| State | Fire code (ICC chart) | What it means for a backyard fire pit |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Alaska | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Arizona | Statewide 2018 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Arkansas | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| California | 2024 IFC as the California Fire Code | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Colorado | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Connecticut | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Delaware | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| District of Columbia | Statewide 2015 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Florida | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| Georgia | Statewide 2024 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Hawaii | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| Idaho | Statewide 2018 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Illinois | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Indiana | Statewide 2012 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Iowa | Statewide 2024 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Kansas | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Kentucky | Statewide 2012 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Louisiana | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Maine | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| Maryland | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| Massachusetts | Portions of the 2021 IFC | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| Michigan | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Minnesota | Statewide 2018 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Mississippi | Statewide 2024 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Missouri | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Montana | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Nebraska | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Nevada | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| New Hampshire | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| New Jersey | 2015 IFC as referenced by the building code | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| New Mexico | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| New York | Statewide 2024 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| North Carolina | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| North Dakota | Statewide 2024 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Ohio | 2021 IFC as the Ohio Fire Code | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt); Ohio adds 15 ft for gas-fired fire pits. |
| Oklahoma | Statewide 2018 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Oregon | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Pennsylvania | 2021 IFC, adopted only in part through the Uniform Construction Code | Backyard fire rules come from your municipality’s fire code ordinance, if it has one (many adopt the IFC), and the state’s burning rules. |
| Rhode Island | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| South Carolina | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| South Dakota | Statewide 2015 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Tennessee | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Texas | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Utah | Statewide 2024 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Vermont | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| Virginia | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| Washington | Statewide 2021 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
| West Virginia | No IFC adoption reported | The IFC distances may not apply as written. Check the state fire marshal’s code or your local fire department. |
| Wisconsin | No statewide IFC; adopted locally in some places | Your city or county fire code decides, if it has adopted one. |
| Wyoming | Statewide 2024 IFC | Wood fire pit 25 ft; portable fire pit 15 ft (one- and two-family homes exempt), unless your state or town amended them. |
Source: ICC adoption chart, April 2026. States and towns can amend the distances. State names link to our guide for that state.
Questions
How far does a fire pit have to be from a house?
Under the International Fire Code that most states adopt, a wood-burning recreational fire (a pit up to 3 feet across and 2 feet high) has to be 25 feet from any structure or combustible material, and a portable outdoor fireplace 15 feet. The 15-foot rule doesn’t apply at one- and two-family homes, where the manufacturer’s instructions govern. Bigger open burning needs 50 feet.
Do gas fire pits follow the same distances?
The model fire code doesn’t give gas fire pits their own distance. They’re installed under the fuel gas code and the appliance’s listed clearances (ANSI Z21.97 for outdoor decorative gas appliances). Ohio is an exception that adds one: gas-fired fire pits 15 feet from a structure or combustible material.
Is there a required distance from the property line?
Not in the International Fire Code, which measures from structures and combustible material. Property-line setbacks come from local zoning or burning ordinances, so ask your township or city.
Which states use the International Fire Code?
In ICC’s April 2026 adoption chart, 29 states plus D.C. list a statewide IFC edition, 10 adopt it only locally, and 9 report no IFC adoption. Massachusetts uses portions of it, and New Jersey lists the 2015 edition as referenced by its building code.
What are the fire pit rules in Pennsylvania?
The Uniform Construction Code adopts the International Fire Code only in part, for construction. The rules on backyard fires come from your municipality’s fire code ordinance, if it has adopted one, and the state’s burning rules. Many Pennsylvania townships adopt the IFC by ordinance, so the 25-foot rule is a safe plan.
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit?
Usually not for a recreational fire under the model fire code; permits are for open burning such as land clearing. Your town can require one, and a gas fire pit is installed under the fuel gas code.
Sources: ICC, International Codes Adoption by State (April 2026 chart, PDF); Salt Lake City Fire Department, Recreational fires (2021 IFC 307.4.2, 308.1.4); City of Birmingham, MI Fire Department, Fire pits (IFC 307.4.3); Ann Arbor Fire Department, Recreational fires (2025, PDF); Ohio Administrative Code 1301:7-7-03, Ohio Fire Code Chapter 3 (eff. Nov. 20, 2025, PDF); City of Fort Collins, gas fire pit requirements (PDF); Pennsylvania Bulletin, 48 Pa.B. 6261 (Sept. 29, 2018), Uniform Construction Code; PA Department of Labor and Industry, municipal UCC change ordinances (F–J). Checked Nov. 12, 2026.
Muthler Landscaping & Construction · Lock Haven, PA
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Using this guide? Link to it or cite it. It’s free to use with a link back, and we keep it updated against official sources.
Cite as: Muthler Landscaping & Construction, “Fire Pit Rules by State,” https://muthlerlandscaping.com/state-guides/fire-pit-rules/ (last checked November 12, 2026).
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