Grease Trap Requirements
Carmel, IN

FOG Compliance in Carmel, IN

Food service establishments in Carmel operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, Indiana 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 Carmel, the rule is: Monthly. This places it among the strictest tier of US jurisdictions, alongside most of Houston-area and high-volume Los Angeles County restaurants. 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 Carmel 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.

Carmel requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation.

Establishments must maintain pumping logs, hauler manifests, and inspection reports on-site — missing records is itself a violation in most enforcement actions.

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