Grease Trap Cleaning Tampa recommends checking three things before any pump-out. The City of Tampa publishes a list of registered grease haulers, and pumping inside city limits without registration is unlawful. Counties such as Hillsborough and Pinellas permit haulers separately. Statewide, haulers also need a Florida DEP grease waste hauler license.
City of Tampa registration
Under Tampa Code Sec. 26-308, it’s unlawful for any grease hauler to clean or pump out a trap or interceptor inside city limits without registering with the City. Registration:
- lasts three years and can’t be transferred
- is in addition to any state or county permits
- requires the hauler to keep service records for three years and produce them within 10 days of a City request
- lets the City inspect the hauler’s registered vehicles
The City publishes its registered hauler list as a PDF on tampa.gov. The September 2025 revision lists about 40 companies, each marked for the services they’re registered for: traps inside, interceptors outside, lint and oil/water separators. Check the column, not just the name. A hauler registered for indoor traps only isn’t on the list for your outdoor interceptor.
County and city registrations elsewhere
| Where the kitchen is | Who registers or permits haulers |
|---|---|
| City of Tampa | City of Tampa (Sec. 26-308) |
| Unincorporated Hillsborough | Hillsborough County Public Utilities |
| Temple Terrace | City of Temple Terrace (Sec. 22-306) |
| Unincorporated Pinellas, and Clearwater (units over 20 gal) | Pinellas County |
| Pasco County | Pasco County permit and decal |
Florida’s hauler license
Statewide, grease waste haulers need a license from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection under F.A.C. 62-705 (amended December 7, 2025). Haulers apply on the DEP’s form, renew by March 1 each year, and new haulers apply at least 30 days before starting. The same law requires haulers to dispose of grease only at a permitted facility, never return grease or gray water to your tank, and give you a signed manifest.
Questions to ask before you book
- Which registration covers my address, and for which service column?
- What’s your DEP grease waste hauler license number?
- Is the quote a full pump-out to empty, with walls and baffles scraped?
- Does the price include disposal?
- Will I get a signed manifest with the disposal ticket number?
See how to choose a grease trap company.
Bottom line
Ask any hauler for their City or County registration for your address and their Florida DEP license, then check the City of Tampa's published list. Ask what each quote includes and check the manifest it ends with. For details on how we work, call (727) 476-9241.