Grease Trap Cleaning Tampa prices grease trap cleaning in Tampa by unit size. Typical 2026 ranges are $150–$350 per cleaning for an indoor under-sink trap and $300–$650 per pump-out for an outdoor interceptor up to 1,500 gallons. Most restaurants spend $2,500–$6,000 a year, depending on how often their city or county requires service.
Grease trap cleaning cost in Tampa by unit size
Price follows size first. These are typical Tampa Bay market ranges for 2026, not a price list. The confidence column shows how strong the evidence is for each one.
| Unit | Typical price per visit | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor / under-sink trap (20–100 gal) | $150–$350 | Low: one commercial source |
| Outdoor interceptor, 500–1,000 gal | $300–$550 | Medium: two independent sources |
| Outdoor interceptor, 1,000–1,500 gal | $400–$650 | Medium |
| Outdoor interceptor, 1,500–2,500 gal | $500–$850 | Medium: wide spread in public bids |
| Outdoor interceptor, 2,500+ gal | $700–$1,200 | Low |
Not sure which you have? In the City of Tampa’s definitions, a trap sits inside and is rated at 50 gallons per minute or less, and an interceptor is an outdoor, in-ground tank rated above 50 gpm or holding 750 gallons or more. See grease trap vs grease interceptor.
Why two quotes for the same trap can differ
Five things move the number:
- How full it is. A tank pumped on schedule takes less time than one that has gone months and set hard.
- Access and hose run. An interceptor under a parking space 150 feet from where the truck can stop takes longer than one beside the dumpster pad.
- Disposal fees. Typically $0.03–$0.08 per gallon, sometimes bundled into the visit price and sometimes listed separately.
- What “cleaning” means. A full pump-out removes grease, gray water and solids and scrapes the walls. A skim removes less, costs less, and has to be repeated sooner.
- Timing. Emergency and after-hours work runs about 20–100% above the scheduled rate.
How your pumping rule sets the annual bill
The biggest cost driver isn’t the price per visit. It’s how many visits your jurisdiction requires. Here is the same 1,000–1,500 gallon interceptor at $400–$650 a visit under three local rules. Visits per year are 365 days divided by the interval: a 30-day rule means 12–13 visits, a 90-day rule 4–5. The annual cost uses the lower count (the minimum visits the rule forces). The extra visit, when the calendar needs it, adds one more visit’s price.
| Where the kitchen drains | Rule | Visits per year | Annual cost (minimum visits) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated Pinellas County | At least every 30 days | 12–13 | $4,800–$7,800 |
| Unincorporated Hillsborough County | At least every 90 days, never over 25% | 4–5 | $1,600–$2,600 |
| City of Tampa | No fixed days; pump before 25% or 8 in of solids | Set by how fast the tank fills | $400–$650 × visits |
A busy kitchen on a 90-day rule may still need monthly service, because the 25% limit applies at all times. The cost estimator runs this calculation for your jurisdiction, unit size and kitchen volume.
Installation is a different budget
Pumping and installation are often confused in quotes. The City of Tampa’s own grease ordinance FAQ puts a new small trap (0–100 gallons) at $250–$1,500 installed and a new 750–1,500 gallon interceptor at $4,000–$8,500. Those are official figures, so they carry high confidence. A sale or change of ownership can trigger a City requirement to install or upgrade, which is why buyers should inspect the trap before closing.
What falling behind costs
Skipping a pump-out to save money rarely does:
- Failed re-inspection (City of Tampa): $61 per hour of inspector time. If the City has to pump the interceptor itself, a $50 administrative fee is added on top of the pumping bill.
- State fine: up to $250 for each failure to clean a trap or interceptor, and up to $100 for each missing manifest (F.S. 403.0741).
- Emergency rates: an overflow on a Friday night costs about 20–100% more than the same pump-out booked a week earlier.
Where these numbers come from
The interceptor ranges combine a Florida directory’s published Tampa Bay figures with Brevard County’s 2024 public bid, an independent government source that priced pumping at $0.20–$1.10 per gallon. Brevard is on Florida’s east coast, not Tampa Bay, so those ranges are marked medium rather than high confidence. The indoor-trap range rests on a single commercial source, so it’s marked low. Installation figures and fees come straight from the City of Tampa and Florida statute.
Bottom line
Budget $300–$650 per interceptor pump-out or $150–$350 per indoor trap cleaning, multiplied by the visits your jurisdiction requires. The full pump-out costs more than a skim, and it is the only one that resets the 25% clock. For a quote for your kitchen, call (727) 476-9241.