Tree waste rules in Missouri: open burning of vegetative waste, land clearing and air curtain incinerators

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It follows rule 10 CSR 10-6.045 in the Code of State Regulations as published by the Missouri Secretary of State (the volume is dated June 30, 2026), the Department of Natural Resources fact sheet PUB2047 dated May 1, 2020, and section 643.151 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Definitions and the general rule

According to the Code of State Regulations chapter 10 CSR 10-6, rule 10-6.045 applies to all open burning throughout Missouri. It defines vegetative waste as tree trunks, tree limbs, tree trimmings, vegetation and yard waste. It defines untreated wood as wood not chemically preserved, painted, stained or composited, and says that does not include plywood, particleboard or chipboard. Open burning is not allowed where it is a public health hazard, a hazard to vehicle or air traffic, or breaks another rule or statute. Local authorities decide a health hazard case by case.

The rule lists materials that must not be open burned. They include petroleum-based materials such as tires, asphalt roofing and used oil, asbestos, trade waste other than untreated wood, construction or demolition waste other than untreated wood, salvage operation waste and durable goods.

Land clearing and collection sites

Commercial land clearing inside city limits or less than 200 yards from the nearest occupied structure must follow the rule's conditions. So must commercial and noncommercial collection operations where vegetative waste comes from off site.
The conditions are burning only between sunrise and sunset, at least 200 yards from any structure not owned by the burner, supervision at all times, and notice to the local fire control authority before lighting.
A collection operation burning more than 80 cubic yards of vegetative waste per week must use an air curtain incinerator, with notification before construction and opacity records.
In an ozone non-attainment area an air curtain incinerator is required from April 15 to September 15, and burning is barred on an ozone alert day.
An air curtain incinerator may burn only wood waste, clean lumber and yard waste, at least 50 yards from the nearest occupied structure not owned by the operator, with opacity at or below 10 percent after startup.

What the department fact sheet adds

In its open burning summary, the department's fact sheet PUB2047 says Missouri allows open burning of yard waste, which it describes as trees, tree leaves, brush or other vegetation, when it originates and is burned on the same premises. It says tires or used oil may not start or fuel any of these fires. It says burning tree trunks, limbs and vegetation from land clearing is allowed without an air curtain incinerator outside city limits and more than 200 yards from the nearest occupied structure. It also says local governments may have stricter rules and that the department strongly discourages open burning before alternatives are investigated.

Penalty

According to section 643.151, the commission may bring a civil action for an injunction or a penalty not exceeding US$10,000 for each violation per day, for each day or part of a day the violation continues.

For other places see the table on tree waste and chip rules. A neighbouring state is on the Iowa page.