Grease Trap Requirements
Port St. Lucie, FL

FOG Compliance in Port St. Lucie, FL

Food service establishments in Port St. Lucie 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 Port St. Lucie, the rule is: Per 25% rule. 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 Port St. Lucie 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 Florida Plumbing Code requirements.

Port St. Lucie requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is Grease Management Plan required; contact City Utility Systems Dept. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of Up to $5,000 per violation per Florida statutes , 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.

Port St. Lucie 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. Inspections per Ordinance Section 64.09 to verify interceptor compliance. 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 City of Port St. Lucie Utility Systems – FOG and Industrial Pretreatment Programs, 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.