Authorised smokeless fuels: what you can burn on an open fire

What an authorised fuel is

Authorised fuels are DEFRA approved fuels: DEFRA has approved them for use in smoke control areas in England because they burn without producing substantial smoke. They may be burned in any appliance, including an open fireplace (gov.uk). The list, kept at smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk, covers anthracite, semi-anthracite and a large range of branded manufactured smokeless fuels; each nation of the UK maintains its own list.

What is not on the list

• Wood is not an authorised fuel. Logs and briquettes are only legal in a smoke control area inside a DEFRA-exempt appliance, see our exempt stoves guide.
• House coal was never authorised, and since 1 May 2023 traditional bituminous house coal cannot be sold for home burning anywhere in England under the 2020 solid fuel regulations.
• 'Smokeless' on the packaging is not the test. Only fuels on DEFRA's list are authorised; a bag can say smokeless and still be unauthorised for your area. Buying unauthorised fuel for a non-exempt appliance in a smoke control area risks a fine of up to £1,000.

Choosing and checking a fuel

• Check the brand name on the DEFRA list before you buy, approved fuels usually print the approval on the bag, but the list is definitive.
• Manufactured smokeless ovals and anthracite both work on open fires; smokeless fuels typically burn hotter and longer than house coal did, so start with smaller loads.
• Buy from a member of an approved coal merchants' scheme or a mainstream retailer, loose unauthorised coal 'from the back of a wagon' is where prosecutions start.
• In an exempt stove, either burn authorised fuels or the fuels the exemption names; the two permissions run in parallel.

Fuel lists are updated over time and differ by UK nation; check the current England list before a bulk order. Unsure which rules bite at your address? The checker takes under a minute.