Can you burn leaves in Indianapolis? No, and the fine is expensive. When leaf collection starts

While fall colors are beginning to bloom across Indiana the closer we get to Halloween, those same autumn leaves will soon coat rooftops, clog open rain gutters, and blanket lawns.

So how do you get rid of them?

There’s composting and leaf collection, of course, but some Hoosiers might be tempted to burn excess piles of leaves in their yard. Don’t whip that lighter out and set anything aflame just yet.

It’s illegal to burn leaves openly in Marion County. If you wait, however, you can dispose of up to 40 bags of leaf litter in November.

Here’s when the 2025 leaf collection season begins and what Hoosiers should know.

Can you burn leaves in Indianapolis?

It’s illegal to burn leaves in Indianapolis, and Hoosiers in other cities should check their local municipal and county ordinances before openly burning anything in their backyards. Failing to do so can result in steep penalties.

In Marion County, you can be fined up to $2,500 for burning the following items outdoors:

• Leaves.
• Grass clippings.
• Stumps.
• Household garbage/trash.
• Waste lumber.
• Furniture/mattresses.
• Land-clearing debris.
• Dead animals.
• Tires.
• Asbestos material.
• Wire.
• Hazardous materials.

Other than cooking or personal comfort fires, Marion County residents are allowed to dispose of dried sticks and limbs by burning them, according to Indy.gov, so long as they follow several requirements:

Burn dried sticks and limbs only between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in a non-combustible container with a ventilated mesh cover no greater than 0.25 inches and maintaining a way to extinguish the fire at all times.

A full list of open burning requirements can be found online at Indy.Gov/Activity/Open-Burning.

When is leaf collection in my area, Marion County, Indiana?

The 2025 leaf collection season begins Nov. 10 in Marion County and runs until Dec. 5.

How to place bags of leaves out for Marion County trash pickup

Marion County officials recommend Hoosiers do the following to place leaves out for trash collection:

• Use large plastic trash bags for leaves. Don’t use paper bags, which can fall apart in the rain.
• Place bags on the street by 7 a.m. on your collection day.
• Keep the leaf bags 3-5 feet away from your cart collection area and out of sidewalks and public rights-of-way.

Marion County trash pickup. What day does it happen?

Residential trash is collected five days a week in Marion County. You can find the date of your trash pickup at Indy.gov/activity/trash-pickup.

John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at JTuftsReports.