Grease Trap Requirements
New York, NY

FOG Compliance in New York, NY

Food service establishments in New York operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, New York 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 24,639 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 New York, the rule is: As needed to prevent discharge exceeding 100 mg/L FOG. This aligns with the 90-day US median enforced by most major cities.

New York requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is No separate FOG permit fee; covered under sewer connection/discharge permits. DEP may require a Wastewater Discharge Permit for significant facilities. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of $25,000 per day per violation under NYC Administrative Code Title 24; additional civil penalties possible , 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.

New York 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. DEP conducts inspections as needed, typically annually for FSEs with compliance issues; self-monitoring required. 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 NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), 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.