Grease Trap Compliance Guide by State (2026)

Free tools: state-adaptive compliance checklist · inspection checklist · maintenance log · cleaning schedule template · service agreement template

For Restaurant Owners: What You Need to Know

FEDERAL BASELINE

All food service establishments (FSEs) in the US are subject to the Clean Water Act and the EPA National Pretreatment Program, which prohibits discharge of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) into municipal sewer systems. Local enforcement is delegated to state and city agencies.

Universal Requirements

25% Rule: Clean your grease trap before FOG reaches 25% of total liquid depth
Record Retention: Keep all cleaning manifests for a minimum of 3 years
Licensed Haulers: Use only permitted/licensed grease waste haulers
Manifests Required: Every service must generate a signed manifest documenting date, volume removed, hauler info, and disposal facility
Restaurant Liability: The restaurant owner is ultimately responsible for FOG compliance, even if the hauler improperly disposes of waste

STATE-BY-STATE COMPLIANCE DATA

Northeast

New York (NY)

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Full New York regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Monthly (NYC); Quarterly (rest of state)
Regulatory Agency	NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) / NY DEC
Max Fine	Up to $25,000/day per violation
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes — BIC license required in NYC
Record Retention	3 years minimum
Key Notes	NYC requires BIC (Business Integrity Commission) license for waste haulers. DEC Waste Transporter Permit also required. Unannounced inspections common.

Massachusetts (MA)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	MassDEP / Local Board of Health
Max Fine	Up to $25,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes
Record Retention	3 years minimum
Key Notes	Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) has additional commercial kitchen grease trap guidelines.

Pennsylvania (PA)

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Full Pennsylvania regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Quarterly (every 90 days) or when FOG reaches 25%
Regulatory Agency	PA DEP / Philadelphia Water Department (PWD)
Max Fine	Thousands per violation; escalating for repeat offenders
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes — certified grease hauler required
Record Retention	3 years minimum
Key Notes	Philadelphia PWD jointly enforces with Dept of Licenses and Inspections. Small indoor traps may need monthly service. Health inspectors check records.

New Jersey (NJ)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	NJDEP / Local sewer utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes
Record Retention	3 years minimum

Connecticut (CT)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	CT DEEP / Local WPCA
Max Fine	Up to $25,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes

Rhode Island (RI)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	RI DEM / Narragansett Bay Commission
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Southeast

Florida (FL)

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Full Florida regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	Florida DEP / Local utilities (e.g., ECUA)
Max Fine	Up to $15,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes — DEP-issued hauler permit
Record Retention	3 years minimum
Key Notes	ECUA operates a Preferred Hauler Program (PHP). Haulers in the PHP submit pump-out reports directly. Manifest must be returned to authority within 10 days.

Georgia (GA)

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Full Georgia regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	Georgia EPD / Local water authority (e.g., Atlanta DWM)
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes
Record Retention	3 years minimum

North Carolina (NC)

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Full North Carolina regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	NC DEQ / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $25,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes

South Carolina (SC)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	SC DHEC
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Virginia (VA)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	VA DEQ / Local pretreatment program
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Tennessee (TN)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	TDEC / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Alabama (AL)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	ADEM / Local sewer utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Louisiana (LA)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	LDEQ / Local sewerage authority
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Kentucky (KY)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	KY DEP / MSD (Louisville)
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Midwest

Illinois (IL)

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Full Illinois regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days (indoor traps may need monthly)
Regulatory Agency	Illinois EPA / MWRD (Chicago)
Max Fine	$500 first violation; up to $10,000 for repeat/severe
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes
Record Retention	3 years minimum
Key Notes	Chicago Municipal Code requires grease interceptors for all FSEs. Unannounced inspections. Progressive penalty structure. Non-compliant restaurants may face food service license suspension.

Ohio (OH)

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Full Ohio regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	Ohio EPA / Local sewer district
Max Fine	$1,000 first violation; up to $10,000+ for repeat
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes — registered FOG hauler
Record Retention	3 years minimum
Key Notes	Ohio EPA requires restaurants to obtain a permit for FOG discharge to public sewers. Grease classified as a pollutant. Report spills to Ohio EPA at (800) 282-9378.

Michigan (MI)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	EGLE / Local sewer authority
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Indiana (IN)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	IDEM / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Minnesota (MN)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	MPCA / Met Council
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Wisconsin (WI)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	WI DNR / MMSD (Milwaukee)
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Missouri (MO)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	MO DNR / MSD (St. Louis)
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Iowa (IA)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	Iowa DNR / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Kansas (KS)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	KDHE / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Nebraska (NE)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	NDEQ / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Southwest / Texas

Texas (TX)

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Full Texas regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days (varies by city)
Regulatory Agency	TCEQ / Local pretreatment program
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes — TCEQ permitted trucks
Record Retention	3 years minimum
Key Notes	Dallas/Fort Worth "Defend Your Drains" program requires restaurants to maintain grease traps. Austin explicitly requires mobile vendors to use licensed liquid waste haulers. Houston average cleaning cost: $175-$475.

Arizona (AZ)

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Full Arizona regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	ADEQ / Local sewer utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Colorado (CO)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	CDPHE / Metro Wastewater
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

New Mexico (NM)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	NMED / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Oklahoma (OK)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	ODEQ / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Arkansas (AR)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	ADEQ / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

West Coast

California (CA)

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Full California regulations guide (with official citations) →

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days minimum
Regulatory Agency	Regional Water Quality Control Board
Max Fine	Up to $25,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes
Licensed Hauler Required	Yes
Record Retention	3 years minimum
Key Notes	California has some of the strictest FOG regulations. Multiple regional boards with varying local requirements. Los Angeles requires city-approved haulers.

Washington (WA)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	WA Dept of Ecology / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Oregon (OR)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	Oregon DEQ / Local sewer utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Nevada (NV)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	NV DEP / CCWRD (Las Vegas)
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Utah (UT)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	UT DEQ / Local sewer utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Idaho (ID)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	Idaho DEQ / Local utility
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Hawaii (HI)

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Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	Hawaii DOH
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

Washington, DC

Requirement	Details
Cleaning Frequency	Every 90 days
Regulatory Agency	DC Water / DC Health
Max Fine	Up to $10,000/day
Manifest Required	Yes

COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST FOR RESTAURANT OWNERS

Before You Open

[ ] Install a properly sized grease trap or interceptor
[ ] Obtain any required FOG discharge permits
[ ] Select a licensed/permitted grease waste hauler
[ ] Set up a recurring cleaning schedule (at minimum quarterly)

Every Service Visit

[ ] Confirm hauler provides a signed manifest
[ ] Manifest includes: date, time, location, trap size, volume removed, disposal facility
[ ] File manifest in your compliance folder
[ ] Review trap condition notes from the hauler

Ongoing

[ ] Monitor FOG levels — clean before reaching 25% capacity
[ ] Retain all manifests and service records for 3+ years
[ ] Train kitchen staff on proper FOG disposal (scrape plates, no grease down drains)
[ ] Keep a grease trap maintenance log accessible for inspectors
[ ] Schedule next cleaning before the current service period expires

Red Flags to Watch For

Hauler cannot produce a valid license/permit number
No manifest provided after service
Company only "skims" the surface rather than fully pumping out
Unusually low prices (may indicate improper disposal)
No before/after documentation

Sources

EPA National Pretreatment Program
State environmental agency websites (DEP, DEQ, ADEQ, etc.)
City-specific FOG programs (NYC DEP, Philadelphia PWD, Chicago MWRD, etc.)
Industry guides (Mahoney Environmental, Greasecycle, Grease Management Org)
Company websites and regulatory filings