Burning Permits

Burning permits issued by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry are not currently required. There are currently no counties under a Commission of Agriculture Burn Ban. If you plan to conduct a debris burn, please check with your county or city officials to learn if other burning restrictions apply in your area.

Burning permits focus attention on the safe use of fire. From October 15 through May 15, anyone starting an open-air fire within 500 feet of a forest, grassland, or woodland must by law secure a burning permit from the Division of Forestry. Permits are not required for burning in containers such as a metal barrel with a ½" mesh screen cover. Anyone needing to burn within an incorporated city should contact city authorities about any local burning ordinances. Many towns and cities have their own burning regulations that supersede the Division of Forestry’s burning permit program.

Permits are free of charge and may be obtained by calling the phone number for the county in which the burning will be done or by filling out the online form (only available in select counties). Burning permits are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on holidays. Permits may be obtained in advance for weekends and holidays.

For information on what materials may NOT be burned in Tennessee, please visit Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Open Burning Guidelines by clicking here. To report illegal burning, please call toll-free 1-888-891-TDEC

This option is available for all types of debris buring activity and in all counties where a burning permit is required.

This option is only available for burning of individual leaf or brush piles approximately 8 feet by 8 feet or smaller in size.