Grease Trap Requirements
Boston, MA

FOG Compliance in Boston, MA

Food service establishments in Boston operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, Massachusetts 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. The city has approximately 2,668 food service establishments — every one of them subject to the rules summarized below.

Pumping frequency is the compliance rule restaurant owners interact with most often. In Boston, the rule is: Quarterly minimum (every 90 days). 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 Boston 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: 500 gallons minimum for in-ground gravity grease interceptors; smaller under-sink units (up to 100 GPM) allowed for limited-menu facilities per Massachusetts Plumbing Code sizing tables.

Boston requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is No separate annual FOG permit fee; site plan review fees apply for new installations. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of $25,000 per violation per day under Clean Water Act provisions; BWSC enforcement fines up to $5,000 per violation , 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.

Boston 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. Annual inspections by BWSC; follow-up inspections for non-compliant facilities. 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 Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC), 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.