Burn permits and fire pits in Sudbury, Massachusetts
Only with a Sudbury Fire Department permit. The General Bylaws ban burning "material of any kind" on public or private property without a Fire Department permit, and brush burning is allowed only January 15 through May 1, with daily registration using your permit number. The bylaw doesn't separately address fire pits, so ask the Fire Department before using one.
| Permit required | Yes, from the Sudbury Fire Department, for burning any material [1] |
| Bylaw penalty | $25 [1] |
| Open burning season | January 15 through May 1 [2] |
| Daily registration | Required each burn day, using your permit number [2] |
| How to apply | Online application through the Fire Department (process described in a 2020-21 notice; check the current Fire Department page) [3] |
Permit required for any burning
Article V, Section 7 of Sudbury's General Bylaws says no one may burn "material of any kind" on public or private property except under a permit from the Sudbury Fire Department. A violation carries a $25 penalty [1]. Read literally, the bylaw covers any outdoor fire, not just brush piles.
Brush burning season and process
The Fire Department's notice says open burning is permitted January 15 through May 1. You need a seasonal permit, and on each day you want to burn you must also register for daily burning using your permit number [2]. The Fire Department issues the seasonal permit through an online application. In 2020-21 the application generated a payment voucher to mail in with payment, and the permit was then emailed [3]. The notice reminds residents that open burning without a permit is prohibited.
The notice we found is an archived 2020-21 post, so the fee, the application link and the steps may have changed. Check the Fire Department's current page before you apply.
What you can burn
The Sudbury sources we reviewed don't list allowed or prohibited materials, burn hours, or distance requirements. They point to MassDEP open-burning regulations, under which only brush and similar woody debris may be burned. Leaves, grass, stumps, trash and construction debris are never allowed (see the state rules section).
Fire pits and recreational fires
We found no Sudbury bylaw specifically on fire pits, chimineas or recreational fires. State rules allow small cooking fires year-round. Because the local bylaw requires a permit to burn "material of any kind," ask the Fire Department whether your fire pit needs a permit.
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Next steps
- Check the Sudbury Fire Department's page on sudbury.ma.us for the current open burning permit application and fee before the January 15 season opens.
- Apply for the seasonal permit as the Fire Department directs (in 2020-21 this was an online application with a mailed payment voucher) and wait for your permit.
- On each day you plan to burn, register for daily burning with your permit number; burning is allowed only if the day is approved.
- For a fire pit or chiminea, call the Fire Department to confirm whether a permit is needed.
Common questions
- Do I need a permit to burn in Sudbury, Massachusetts?
- Yes. The General Bylaws ban burning material of any kind on public or private property without a Fire Department permit.
- When can I burn brush in Sudbury, Massachusetts?
- Brush burning is allowed only January 15 through May 1, with daily registration using your permit number.
- Are fire pits allowed in Sudbury, Massachusetts?
- The bylaw doesn't separately address fire pits, so ask the Fire Department before using one.
- How do I apply for a burn permit in Sudbury, Massachusetts?
- Through an online application with the Fire Department, per a 2020-21 notice. Check the current Fire Department page, since the process may have changed.
Massachusetts open burning and fire pit rules
State regulations (MassDEP, 310 CMR 7.07) and M.G.L. c. 48, §13 control outdoor burning.
Open burning of brush (where allowed):
- Only January 15 to May 1, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- You need a permit from your local fire department in advance. Fire officials decide each day whether conditions allow burning and can cancel permits.
- Burn at least 75 feet from any dwelling, and only when air quality allows (MassDEP hotline 800-882-1497).
- Allowed: brush, cane, driftwood and residential forestry debris, plus some agricultural materials.
- Not allowed: leaves, grass, hay, stumps, tires, construction debris or household trash.
- Banned at all times in 22 communities, including Belmont, Brookline and Newton. The others are Arlington, Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, Medford, New Bedford, Somerville, Springfield, Waltham, Watertown, West Springfield and Worcester.
Fire pits and outdoor cooking: cooking fires are allowed year-round everywhere and aren't covered by open-burning limits. They must be a reasonable size, kept away from combustibles, in a non-flammable enclosure, and tended by someone 18 or older. A fire pit used for anything other than cooking falls under the open-burning rules. Towns may further regulate or ban fire pits and chimineas.
Burning illegally, or letting a fire get out of control, can make you liable for firefighting costs, fines or jail time.
What the bylaw says
- Article V, Section 7 (Burning on Private or Public Property), General Bylaws Articles I-XXXIX (effective September 6, 2023) - town PDF, p. 24
SECTION 7. No person shall burn or cause to be burned, material of any kind within or on any public or private property, including but not limited to public or private ways, except in accordance with a permit issued by the Sudbury Fire Department. Violation of this section shall be subject to a penalty of $25.
- Fire Department notice: Open Burning Permits - Online Only, Fire Department - Open Burning Permits (online only), p. 1
Open Burning is permitted January 15th through May 1st. The process to register for daily burning will remain the same and requires a permit number.
- Fire Department notice: Open Burning Permits - Online Only, Fire Department - Open Burning Permits (online only), p. 1
Completion of the application will generate a payment voucher which should be printed and sent with your payment to: Sudbury Fire Department, 77 Hudson Road, Sudbury, MA 01776. Once payment is received and recorded, you will receive your Open Burning Permit via email.