Outdoor tire storage requirements come mainly from International Fire Code Chapter 34. The 2024 IFC limits outdoor piles to 5,000 sq ft, 50,000 cu ft and 10 ft high, 40 ft apart and 50 ft from lot lines and buildings. Yards over 20,000 cu ft need an anchored fence at least 6 ft high with gates at least 20 ft wide. Local amendments and the fire code official govern.
What code sets outdoor tire storage requirements?
In most U.S. jurisdictions, outdoor tire storage is regulated by the International Fire Code (IFC), Chapter 34, "Tire Rebuilding and Tire Storage." The figures in this guide come from the 2024 IFC, Chapter 34. We checked the same sections in the 2018 and 2021 editions, and the outdoor storage, access and fencing values are identical in all three.
Your jurisdiction may have adopted a different edition or amended it. Some jurisdictions adopt NFPA 1, which has its own chapter on outside storage of tires. State environmental agencies also regulate scrap tires on their own terms. Treat the model code as a starting point and confirm the adopted version with your fire code official.
When does IFC Chapter 34 apply to a tire business?
Chapter 34 applies to tire rebuilding plants, tire storage and tire byproduct facilities, but its heaviest requirements switch on at set volumes of stored material. Three numbers matter most to a dealer or yard operator:
| Volume trigger (2024 IFC) | What it brings in | Section |
|---|---|---|
| More than 2,500 cu ft of scrap tires and tire byproducts (total) | An operational permit from the fire code official. Indoor storage of tires and byproducts needs a permit at any volume. | §105.5.50 |
| More than 20,000 cu ft of stored material | A firmly anchored fence, or another approved way of controlling unauthorized access, around the storage yard | §3407.1 |
| More than 150,000 cu ft of stored product | Piles are managed as groups of no more than 150,000 cu ft, with at least 75 ft between groups | §3405.6 |
The IFC definitions chapter also uses 20,000 cu ft as the line for "bulk storage of tires," measured by the area available for storage. The permit section in Chapter 1 is numbered §105.5.50 in the 2024 edition; earlier editions number it differently.
Retail tire shop vs. scrap tire facility
A retail store or service center that holds used tires until a hauler collects them usually sits far below the 20,000 cu ft fencing trigger. It may still cross the 2,500 cu ft permit line, which counts all scrap tire storage on the site. For scale, the Alpine Citadel 12 × 16 ft single example configuration measures 16 ft 8 in × 12 ft 2 in inside. Filled to its 8 ft wall height, that is about 1,620 cu ft. The 24 × 12 ft double example configuration holds about 2,550 cu ft, right at the permit threshold.
A scrap tire processor, collection site or tire yard is a different case. These sites usually run into every section of Chapter 34 plus a state scrap tire permit or registration.
What applies below the Chapter 34 thresholds?
Small stacks are still combustible material stored outdoors. Under 2024 IFC §315.4, outside storage of combustible materials must be at least 10 ft from a lot line. That distance can drop to 3 ft for storage no more than 6 ft high, or further where the fire code official finds no hazard to the neighboring property. Where a building is sprinklered, combustible storage is not allowed under its eaves, canopies or overhangs unless sprinklers are installed there too (§315.4.1).
How big can an outdoor tire pile be, and how far apart?
Section 3405 limits each outdoor tire pile to 5,000 sq ft of continuous area, 50,000 cu ft in volume and 10 ft in height. It also sets clear distances around every pile:
| Requirement | 2024 IFC value | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Pile area / volume / height | ≤ 5,000 sq ft; ≤ 50,000 cu ft; ≤ 10 ft high | §3405.1 |
| Clear space between tire piles | ≥ 40 ft | §3405.2 |
| Clear space to piles of other stored product | ≥ 40 ft | §3405.3 |
| Distance to lot lines and buildings | ≥ 50 ft | §3405.4 |
| Fire break free of combustible vegetation | 40 ft to grass and weeds; 100 ft to brush and forest | §3405.5 |
| Pile groups above 150,000 cu ft | ≤ 150,000 cu ft per group; ≥ 75 ft between groups | §3405.6 |
| Prohibited locations | Not under bridges, elevated roadways, trestles or railroads | §3405.7 |
Section 3404 adds a short list of precautions for tire storage yards:
- No open burning, and no cutting, welding or heating devices in the yard.
- No smoking except in designated areas.
- No piles under power lines over 750 volts or lines that feed fire emergency systems.
- A fire safety plan, including fire department vehicle access, submitted for approval and posted at the yard.
- The fire department's phone number posted in attended locations.
What fire department access does a tire yard need?
New tire storage yards need fire apparatus access roads that reach within 150 ft of any point where piles are stored, and that stay at least 20 ft away from any pile (§3406.2). Those roads must sit within the pile clearances and fire breaks listed above, so the 50 ft and 40 ft spaces do double duty as access lanes.
The general access road rules in IFC Chapter 5 also apply. Under §503.2.1, an access road needs at least 20 ft of unobstructed width and 13 ft 6 in of vertical clearance. Any gate across an access road must be approved by the fire code official and have an approved means of emergency operation (§503.6). For water, §3408.1 requires a fire protection water supply arranged so that any part of the yard can be reached with no more than 500 ft of hose.
Does a tire yard need a fence, and how wide must the gates be?
Yes, once the yard holds more than 20,000 cu ft of stored material. Section 3407 then requires the following:
- Where (§3407.1): a firmly anchored fence, or another approved method that controls unauthorized access, must surround the storage yard.
- Construction (§3407.2): approved materials, at least 6 ft high, with gates not less than 20 ft wide.
- Locking (§3407.3): gates locked whenever the yard is not staffed.
- Unobstructed (§3407.4): gateways kept clear and fully openable at all times.
The code does not say whether the 20 ft is a clear opening or an overall gate width. Specifying a 20 ft clear opening avoids the question at plan review. A 20 ft gate also matches the 20 ft minimum width of a fire apparatus access road. The fire code official decides which fence materials are "approved."
How do local amendments and state scrap tire rules change the answer?
Local amendments can change pile sizes, separation distances and permit triggers, so the adopted local fire code governs, not the model text. Ask the fire marshal's office which IFC edition is in force and whether Chapter 34 or §105.5 has been amended.
State environmental agencies regulate scrap tires separately, through registration, storage limits, hauling manifests and rules to keep tires dry and free of mosquito breeding. These rules can be more specific than the fire code. For example, one state's scrap tire storage rule requires registered storage sites to be completely enclosed by a chain-link-type fence at least six feet high with a gate locked when the facility is closed, and caps piles at 15 ft high and 8,000 sq ft. Where a rule names a fence type, confirm with that agency before choosing another material. Many cities also have zoning rules for outdoor storage that call for screening from public view. Our guide to dumpster enclosure requirements covers how those screening and permit rules usually work.
How does a steel enclosure fit a tire storage plan?
A steel enclosure handles the screening, access-control and gate parts of a tire storage plan. The pile limits, separation distances, access roads and water supply still have to be met on the site plan. The Alpine Citadel tire storage enclosure is built for that role:
- Noncombustible steel construction. Structural steel posts and solid steel tube slats, galvanized and powder coated.
- 100% opaque screening. The standard solid-slat face meets opaque-screening requirements, keeping tire stacks out of public view.
- Height. 6, 7 and 8 ft standard; custom heights from 5 to 10 ft. Where §3407.2 applies, 6 ft or taller meets its height minimum.
- Gates. 12 ft or 16 ft clear double-leaf gates are standard. A 20 ft clear gate is available as a custom design for tire yards that fall under §3407.2. See gates and fencing.
- Locking and hold-open. A heavy-duty lockable latch box supports §3407.3. Hold-open cane bolts keep leaves fully open during loading and inspections.
- Engineered per site. Each project is engineered to ASCE 7-22 for its own wind speed, exposure and risk category, with sealed calculations available in all 50 states.
Alpine Citadel has been installed at more than 70 locations, including more than 60 for a multi-state tire and automotive service brand. A covered, steel-roofed version is available where tires must be kept out of the weather.
What an enclosure is not: it is a screen and an access-control perimeter. It is not a fire barrier and has no fire-resistance rating. It does not reduce any separation distance in Chapter 34 or §315.4, and it does not replace a fire safety plan or the fire code official's approval.
What should you do next?
Start with the fire marshal: confirm the adopted IFC edition, your total stored volume, and whether a permit, fence or 20 ft gate applies. Then bring the site plan, the required clearances and any state scrap tire conditions to us. We will lay out an enclosure and gate arrangement to match, with engineering for your site. Request a quote for a tire storage enclosure.
Sources
- International Code Council, 2024 International Fire Code, Chapter 34: Tire Rebuilding and Tire Storage (§§3401–3408), 2024. The same values appear in the 2018 and 2021 editions.
- International Code Council, 2024 International Fire Code, Chapter 1: Scope and Administration (§105.5.50, operational permit for scrap tire storage), 2024.
- International Code Council, 2024 International Fire Code, Chapter 2: Definitions ("Tires, bulk storage of"), 2024.
- International Code Council, 2024 International Fire Code, Chapter 3: General Requirements (§315.4, outside storage), 2024.
- International Code Council, 2024 International Fire Code, Chapter 5: Fire Service Features (§503.2.1 and §503.6), 2024.
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, via Cornell LII, 30 Tex. Admin. Code §328.61, Design Requirements for Scrap Tire Storage Site, current text accessed 2026.