Firewood laws by state

Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan (from 2027), Washington, Oregon and Minnesota limit bringing in or moving firewood, most by requiring certified heat-treated wood.

Nevada, North Dakota, Utah, Kansas, Indiana, Texas, California and Wisconsin restrict firewood from pest quarantine areas; Missouri restricts hardwood firewood leaving the state; Iowa requires a county-and-state origin label on firewood for sale.

Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, Kentucky, South Dakota and Illinois set firewood rules for state parks or state land without a broader statewide rule we could confirm. 4 states give advice only, and 19 aren’t checked yet.

State regulations (RCSA 22-84-5g) limit moving all hardwood firewood within Connecticut. Whoever moves firewood must carry a document showing where it came from and where it’s going; a self-issued firewood transportation certificate works. DEEP says moving hardwood firewood into or out of the state falls mainly under federal (USDA APHIS) rules.

Commercial shipments of firewood and unprocessed wood can’t come into Florida without a permit from the plant protection agency of the state they came from (Rule 5B-65). Firewood from within 50 miles of the Florida border has limited exemptions. FDACS asks campers to buy firewood at their destination and burn it all there.

Untreated out-of-state firewood is banned by an emergency order first issued Aug. 31, 2010, under 12 M.R.S. § 8305. Certified firewood carries a state seal for heat treatment to 160°F for at least 75 minutes. Inside Maine, the Forest Service says 50 miles is too far and 10 miles or less is best.

Starting Jan. 1, 2027, untreated firewood can’t be brought into Michigan, campers included; only firewood heat-treated and certified by MDARD, another state agriculture department or USDA may enter. MDARD’s FAQ sets the treatment at a 140°F core temperature for at least 60 minutes. Until then the state says not to move firewood more than 10 miles from where it was cut unless it’s heat-treated.

Hardwood (non-coniferous) firewood can’t be brought into Minnesota from another state without written approval from the Department of Agriculture. Uncertified hardwood firewood also can’t be moved out of quarantined Minnesota counties.

Bringing firewood in from another state requires a compliance agreement with the Department of Agriculture (exterior firewood quarantine, effective July 18, 2011). The department says it isn’t currently issuing compliance agreements for firewood from Vermont.

Untreated firewood can’t come into New York from any other state or country. Untreated New York firewood can’t move more than 50 miles (straight-line) from its source or origin. Carry a self-issued certificate of origin for untreated firewood you cut for personal use, or a receipt or label showing the source if you bought it. Heat-treated means 160°F for 75 minutes; kiln drying alone may not qualify.

Firewood brought into Oregon, for your own use or for sale, must be harvested in Oregon, Washington or Idaho, or treated as the Department of Agriculture prescribes (ORS 570.720). The department says 50 miles is too far and within 10 miles is best.

Firewood from out of state, or from a Pennsylvania area under a plant pest quarantine, must be certified heat-treated (160°F at the core for 75 minutes) and labeled by an approved certifier. Firewood of any species is also a regulated article under the spotted lanternfly quarantine.

Firewood from outside Tennessee, except from counties that border the state, must be heat-treated to 160°F for 75 minutes, with a treatment stamp, manufacturer name, quantity and origin on the label or invoice (quarantine effective Sept. 12, 2021).

Untreated firewood from out of state is banned. Firewood heat-treated to 160°F for at least 75 minutes at a certified facility, with proof of treatment, may come in. Violations can mean confiscation, a civil citation or both.

Since Aug. 18, 2026, untreated firewood from outside Washington can’t be brought in for sale or use. Imported firewood must be heat-treated to 160°F at the core for at least 60 minutes (or an approved equivalent) and labeled with its source and “Approved Pest Free.” Civil penalties run up to $5,000 per violation.

The heat-treatment standard in the Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maine and Tennessee rules. The wood’s core has to hit the temperature, and the wood has to be labeled or documented as treated.

New York caps untreated firewood at 50 miles from its source. On state land, Illinois uses 50 miles and Wisconsin 10 miles.

Where agencies give advice instead of a rule, it points the same way: Maine and Oregon say 10 miles or less is best, Michigan says no more than 10 miles unless it’s heat-treated, and North Carolina, South Carolina and Missouri use 50 miles.