Buying guide
Defra Exempt Stoves Explained: What It Means and How to Check
A Defra exempt stove has been tested and shown to burn a fuel such as wood within the smoke limits for smoke control areas, and is published on Defra's list. Only an exempt stove can legally burn wood in a smoke control area, and only with the fuel named in its exemption. You can check any stove by make and model on Defra's appliance list in a couple of minutes.
The Logs Local team Kiln-dried logs from our yard in Keighley
In this guide
What does Defra exempt mean?
GOV.UK says an exemption shows that an appliance emits smoke below the acceptable limits. In England an appliance becomes exempt when it's published on the Defra list. The current limit is 5 g of smoke an hour, plus 0.1 g for every 0.3 kW of output, according to HETAS's guidance.
People often say "Defra approved" for the same thing. GOV.UK and many councils use both terms.
How do I check if my stove is exempt?
- Find the make and model. It's in the manual, and usually on a data plate on the stove itself.
- Search Defra's list. Use the exempt appliances list for England and look up the manufacturer and model.
- Read the fuel condition. Each exemption names the fuels it covers. A typical wood stove entry says "Wood logs with a maximum moisture content of 20%". Defra says only fuel for which the appliance is designed should be used.
- If it isn't listed, it isn't exempt. In a smoke control area it can't burn wood. A multi-fuel stove can still burn an authorised smokeless fuel.
Defra exempt, Ecodesign and clearSkies: what's the difference?
| Label | What it means | Needed for |
|---|---|---|
| Defra exempt | Tested and listed by Defra for use in smoke control areas with named fuels | Burning wood in a smoke control area |
| Ecodesign | Legal minimum for new stoves sold in Great Britain since 1 January 2022: closed stoves at least 65% efficient, with limits on particles | Any new stove sold in Great Britain |
| SIA Ecodesign Ready | An earlier voluntary industry label for stoves that met the 2022 limits early | Nothing now |
| clearSkies | An independent certification mark for stoves, launched in 2020 | Nothing by law |
Sources: the Ecodesign regulation, the Stove Industry Association and clearSkies. Meeting Ecodesign doesn't by itself make a stove exempt, so check Defra's list either way.
Do I need to replace an older stove?
No. HETAS says Ecodesign only covers newly produced appliances. Outside a smoke control area, any stove in good working order can burn dry wood. Inside one, an older stove that isn't exempt can't burn wood.
Are the limits changing?
Not yet. An earlier plan to cut the limit to 3 g an hour was never brought into law. In its January 2026 consultation, Defra proposed 1 g an hour for new stoves sold in Great Britain, three to five years after any new law, and said stoves already installed would not be affected. See wood burner rules 2026.
Do I need an exempt stove outside a smoke control area?
No. The exemption only matters inside a smoke control area. Check where you are with our council maps.
Questions
Is Defra approved the same as Defra exempt?
Yes. Both mean the stove appears on Defra's list of exempt appliances.
Can I burn coal in a Defra exempt wood stove?
Only fuels named in its exemption. HETAS says wood-burning stoves are not designed to burn manufactured smokeless fuels.
Does an Ecodesign stove count as Defra exempt?
Not automatically. Many Ecodesign stoves are also exempt, but you need to check Defra's list.
What logs should I burn in an exempt stove?
Dry wood, usually 20% moisture or less, as most exemptions state. Our kiln dried logs are dried below 20%.
Logs for this guide
Kiln dried below 20% moisture and ready to burn. Add a bag to your cart, then check out as normal.
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Free delivery within 40 miles of our yard
On orders over £75, on weekdays, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Or collect from Farrahs Saw Mill in Keighley.
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