Obtain/Activate Your Burning Permit

To apply for or activate a burning permit, click here.

If you already have a burning permit, simply fill out the form to find your permit and activate it.
Reminder,permits can only be activated the day of burning between 10 am and 1 pm.
The website will not allow permits the be activated outside these hours.

If you do not have a burning permit, click the blue "Apply for a new permit" button in the top right corner.

Burning Regulations

  • Burning of the following materials are allowed with a burning permit :
  • Brush, cane, driftwood, and forestry debris (but not from commercial or industrial land clearing).
  • Materials normally associated with the pursuit of agriculture such as fruit tree prunings, dead raspberry stalks, blueberry    patches for pruning purposes, and infected beehives for disease control.
  • Burning of the following materials is prohibited statewide:
  • Brush, trees, cane, and driftwood from commercial and/or industrial land clearing operations.
  • Grass, hay, leaves, or stumps.
  • Construction material, demolition debris, household trash, or tires.
  • Burning is only allowed from January 15th through May 1st between the hours of 10am to 1pm, and all open burns must be fully extinguished by 4pm.
  • Permission to burn is only valid on the day it is requested. You must make a request each day you wish to burn. Please see the online burning portal for instructions.
  • Open burning must be at least 75 feet from all dwellings and must not become a nuisance to neighbors or adjacent properties.
  • Open burning may be halted at any time due to dry and windy weather.
  • Large piles that will not readily burn or are of such size that they will not be totally out by 4:00pm are prohibited.
  • Tree trunks and limbs greater than 4” in diameter are not considered brush and therefore are prohibited from open burning.
  • People conducting illegal burning, or who allow a fire to get out of control, may be held liable for costs of extinguishing a fire, fined, and even imprisoned (MGL c. 48 s. 13).
  • The Fire Department may revoke a permit at any time for violation of the open air burning rules or creating a nuisance.
  • You must be 18 years or older.
Visit the DEP outside burn website for more details.

Additional Information

The Department of Environmental Protection and the Hopkinton Fire Department regulate burning for health and safety reasons. Air quality and fire safety are considered when deciding if burning is to be allowed on any given day. Outdoor burning pollutes the air and can aggravate health issue of nearby residents. Only on days where the Mass DEP determines the air quality to be "good" is burning allowed. More information on air quality can be found at this link and a daily air quality forecast can be found here. When conditions are abnormally dry or high winds are present, a burning ban may also be enacted to prevent the fire from becoming out of control.