Rules check · Burning Man
Burning Man
Allowed items
Fireworks, firearms, and other weapons are banned outright, and an unregistered drone gets confiscated at the gate, no exceptions. Beyond that hard line, most rules — vehicle decoration, structure permits, fire art — shift with each year's Survival Guide, so treat that document, not this summary, as the actual source of truth before anything questionable goes in the car.
Use the official policy
Entry, bag, camping, and vehicle policies can be updated before an edition. Open the official source close to departure and make your own packing decision from that current policy.
Do not plan around loopholes
We do not publish prohibited-item workarounds. When an item is unclear, leave it out or contact the event directly.
What Burning Man itself publishes
Transcribed from Burning Man Survival Guide — Personal Survival Checklist ↗, loaded 2026-08-31. This is the festival’s own wording, not ours — and it is the version that counts at the gate.
You must bring
- Your ticket or photo ID and confirmation number for Will Call pickup
- 1.5 gallons of water per person per day
- A reusable water bottle
- Food and beverages
- An extensive first-aid kit
- Sunscreen/sunblock and sunglasses
- Warm clothing
- Particle/dust mask
- Goggles to protect eyes during dust storms
- Rope or tie-down straps
- Hand sanitizer (60% or more alcohol content)
- Garbage and recycling bags, and tools to clean up your camp
- Duct tape
- Flashlights and spare batteries (headlamps are useful)
- Lights for your bike and your person
- Rain gear and footwear
- A good camp tent or other shelter, and warm sleeping bags and bedding
- Portable ashtrays if you smoke
- Prescriptions in their original containers, contact lens supplies, and anything else you need to maintain your health in a remote area with no services
- Fire extinguishers
- A battery-powered AM/FM radio to listen to BMIR and stay informed
- Common sense, an open mind, a sense of humor and a positive attitude
You probably should bring
- Shade structures, umbrellas, parasols — something to break the midday sun
- A wide brim hat (a chinstrap is useful in the wind)
- A cooking stove if you expect to heat food or liquid
- A working bicycle (mountain bikes or cruisers with balloon tires are best)
- A bike lock, with the bike tagged with name, playa address, email and/or phone
- Bicycle tire repair kit, pump, spare parts and extra tubes
- Portable shower with a drain system to collect and manage gray water
- Lotion, lip balm and earplugs
- Watertight protective bags for cameras or electronic gear
- Costumes, musical instruments, props, decorations
- Camp marker (flag, banner, distinctive marking)
- 12" tent stakes (rebar and lag bolts are effective too), and something to mark their place in the ground
- Plastic bottles or tennis balls to top and protect dangerous rebar stakes
- Extra set of car keys
- A reusable travel coffee mug
- Appropriate footwear for if the playa gets wet
- Emergency toilet: a five-gallon utility bucket with lid and garbage bag liners
- Fire blanket
- Phone straps — attach everything to yourself
- Labels for personal gear (phones, bikes, reusable mugs, water bottles)
Official source
Ready to pack?
The Burning Man packing list
The saved checklist plus 43 gear picks chosen for these exact conditions.
Open the packing list →