Grease Trap Requirements
St. Petersburg, FL

FOG Compliance in St. Petersburg, FL

Food service establishments in St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg, the rule is: At least once per month (variance available up to 180 days with $275 fee). This is more lenient than the US median, typical of jurisdictions with lower-volume food service sectors. 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 St. Petersburg 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.

St. Petersburg requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is $275 for pumping frequency variance application. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of $250 to $5,000 per violation (Florida state standards) , 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.

St. Petersburg 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. Routine inspections by city Grease Management Program staff. 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 St. Petersburg Utilities Department, Grease Management Program, 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.