Grease Trap Requirements
Hialeah, FL

FOG Compliance in Hialeah, FL

Food service establishments in Hialeah operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, Florida state plumbing code, and city-level FOG ordinances. Together these rules determine how grease traps must be sized, how often they must be pumped, and what happens when a restaurant falls out of compliance.

Pumping frequency is the compliance rule restaurant owners interact with most often. In Hialeah, the rule is: Every 90 days or when 25% capacity is reached, whichever comes first. This aligns with the 90-day US median enforced by most major cities. The city follows the International Plumbing Code (IPC) for trap sizing and installation. Under Section 1003.3.4, which sizes traps by drainage fixture unit counts, grease interceptors installed in Hialeah must meet minimum capacity thresholds based on the fixtures connected to them — 3-compartment sinks, dishwashers, pre-rinse stations, wok stoves, and floor drains on the cook line. The local minimum trap size is: Per Miami-Dade County sizing rules; below-ground interceptors 750+ gal, in-kitchen traps from 20 GPM.

Hialeah requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is $250+ for GDO permit; $250 late fee for missed renewals; renewed annually (expires Dec 31). The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of $250 first offense; $1,150 for second offense; escalating for repeat violations , in line with typical US municipal penalties. Fines typically escalate with repeat violations, and severe discharges that cause sanitary sewer overflows can trigger federal Clean Water Act penalties layered on top of local fines.

Hialeah enforces the 25 percent rule: grease traps must be pumped before the combined FOG and settled solids reach 25 percent of the trap's total liquid depth. Inspectors measure the depth with a sludge judge or dipstick, typically at surprise visits. Exceeding the threshold at inspection triggers a notice of violation and mandatory emergency pump-out, regardless of the scheduled pumping cycle. Automated nightly compliance checks via Miami-Dade FOG portal; periodic physical inspections. Establishments must maintain pumping logs, hauler manifests, and inspection reports on-site — missing records is itself a violation in most enforcement actions. Enforcement authority rests with the Miami-Dade County DERM (Department of Environmental Resources Management); City of Hialeah (municipal occupational license), which handles permit issuance, inspections, and hauler licensing.

For a deeper explanation of the rules this city enforces, read our guides on how grease traps work and the 25/50 pumping rule.