# St. Petersburg Grease Discharge Permit Explained > St. Petersburg grease discharge permit explained: three-year permit, monthly interceptor pumping, weekly traps, $275 variances and quarterly reports. URL: https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/st-petersburg-grease-discharge-permit/ Learn # What Is a St. Petersburg Grease Discharge Permit? What St. Petersburg's Grease Management Program asks of every food service facility, from the permit to the quarterly report. Updated November 14, 2026 [Grease Trap Cleaning Tampa](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/) works with St. Petersburg kitchens under the city's Grease Management Program. Every food service facility gets a Grease Discharge Permit with a three-year term, is inspected at least once a year, pumps its interceptor at least monthly, cleans traps weekly, and files a quarterly report on a city form. ## The program St. Petersburg amended its sewer use ordinance in June 2002 to require grease removal devices in every food service facility, plus regular cleaning and reporting. The city’s Water Resources Department runs the Grease Management Program through permits, education, inspections and enforcement. Its FOG manual cites up to 35 recorded sewer blockages a month in the city, many caused by grease. _This guide follows the city’s Fats, Oil and Grease Best Management Practices Manual. The city has said the ordinance is being revised, so check the current text with the program before relying on any single figure._ ## The Grease Discharge Permit Every food service facility is issued a **Grease Discharge Permit** with a **three-year term**. Permitted facilities are inspected at least once a year and receive an annual invoice for the permit fee. Inspections may or may not be announced in advance, and refusing an inspector access is a violation. ## Cleaning and pumping - **Grease traps:** opened and cleaned at least **once a week**, recorded in a bound logbook. No variance is available. - **Grease interceptors:** pumped out and cleaned by a permitted hauler at least **once a month**. - **Variance:** **$275** fee, with a maximum of **180 days** between pump-outs. - The whole contents must come out, with the walls, floor, baffles and pipework scraped. Returning gray water to the interceptor is prohibited. ## Records and reports Keep a **bound logbook** of all maintenance, a **written cleaning protocol** for the trap, and a file with your plumbing schematics, the permit and every service invoice. File a **quarterly report** on the city’s form showing when the interceptor was serviced or repaired, who did it, and how. Reports more than 30 days late cost **$50**. ## What the inspector does The inspector looks at equipment, food prep and storage areas, opens the trap or interceptor, asks for your records, and asks how your staff follow the city’s best practices. Deficiencies are listed in a written notice with a re-inspection date. If they aren’t fixed by then, you’re billed for that re-inspection and every one after it. ## Contact Grease Management Program, Environmental Compliance Division: (727) 892-5622, [Grease@stpete.org](mailto:Grease@stpete.org). See [St. Petersburg](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/service-areas/st-petersburg/) for local service. Bottom line In St. Petersburg: hold a current Grease Discharge Permit, pump interceptors monthly, clean traps weekly, keep a bound logbook and written protocol, and file the quarterly report on time. For help staying on schedule, call [(727) 476-9241](tel:+17274769241). [Related service Grease Interceptor Pumping Outdoor interceptors pumped to empty, scraped and documented on the schedule your city or county enforces. See the service](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/grease-interceptor-pumping/)[Also related Grease Trap Maintenance Plans Scheduled pumping set by your jurisdiction's rule and how fast your unit actually fills, with the paperwork kept straight. See the service](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/grease-trap-maintenance-plans/) Want a quote? [(727) 476-9241](tel:+17274769241) ## Questions about this ### Can I get a variance from monthly pumping in St. Petersburg? Yes, for interceptors. The city's FOG manual sets the variance fee at $275, with a maximum of 180 days between pump-outs. There's no variance for grease trap cleaning frequency. ### What happens if I file the quarterly report late? The city's FOG manual sets a $50 late fee for reports more than 30 days late. ### Is St. Petersburg's grease ordinance changing? The city has said its Grease Management Program ordinance is being revised to reflect Florida's 2022 grease-waste statute. Confirm the current requirements with the program at (727) 892-5622 or Grease@stpete.org. ## More guides - [How Much Does Grease Interceptor Pumping Cost? (Tampa Bay, 2026)Per-visit ranges by tank size, the per-gallon public-contract benchmark, and what your city or county's pumping rule does to the annual bill.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/grease-interceptor-pumping-cost/) - [Grease Trap vs Grease Interceptor: What's the Difference?How to tell which one your kitchen has, and why it changes the cleaning schedule, who can do the work and what it costs.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/grease-trap-vs-grease-interceptor/) - [What Are Pinellas County's Grease Interceptor Requirements?Pinellas County Utilities' Article VI rules: who they cover, the 30-day minimum, layer limits, how variances work, and what to keep on file.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/pinellas-county-grease-interceptor-rules/) - [How Do You Check a Grease Hauler Is Registered in Tampa?City registration, county permits and the state license are three different things. Here's how to check each one.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/registered-grease-hauler-tampa/) - [Buying a Restaurant? Grease Trap Requirements to CheckWhy a change of ownership matters to the grease program, and the checks to make before you sign.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/buying-a-restaurant-grease-trap/) Get an exact price for your kitchen Two quick steps. We call back to confirm. Faster by phone: [(727) 476-9241](tel:+17274769241) Rather talk it through? Call now. Call any time. If we can't pick up, leave a message and you'll get a call back. [(727) 476-9241](tel:+17274769241) [Request a quote](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/contact/)