Grease Trap Requirements
Houston, TX

FOG Compliance in Houston, TX

Food service establishments in Houston operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, Texas 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 10,038 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 Houston, the rule is: Every 90 days minimum or when 25% full. This aligns with the 90-day US median enforced by most major cities.

Houston requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is Grease trap permit/registration required; fees approximately $100-$250 depending on establishment size. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of $2,000 per violation per day under Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 47; repeat violations up to $4,000/day , 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.

Houston 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. Houston Health Department and Public Works conduct inspections; typically annually or upon complaint. 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 Houston Public Works and Engineering Department; Houston Health Department (grease transporter licensing), 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.