# Tampa Grease Ordinance: What It Requires (Ch. 26) > The City of Tampa grease ordinance explained: weekly traps, condition-based interceptor pumping, registered haulers, records, additives and violation deadlines. URL: https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/tampa-grease-management-ordinance/ Learn # What Does the City of Tampa Grease Ordinance Require? Chapter 26, Article VII in plain terms: who it covers, how often to clean and pump, what records to keep, and what happens after a violation. Updated November 14, 2026 [Grease Trap Cleaning Tampa](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/) works to the City of Tampa Grease Management Ordinance (City Code Chapter 26, Article VII). It requires indoor grease traps to be cleaned at least weekly and before they reach 25%, and interceptors to be pumped by a City-registered hauler before solids reach the outlet or grease and solids pass 25%. There is no fixed day count. ## Who the ordinance covers The ordinance (Ordinance 2006-288, effective November 21, 2006) applies to food service facilities and grease haulers inside Tampa city limits. The City says grease blockages are the leading cause of its sanitary sewer overflows. Every food service facility must have a grease trap or interceptor installed to the Florida Building Code – Plumbing. Restroom waste may never be connected to it. ## Traps vs interceptors - **Grease trap:** an indoor unit rated at 50 gallons per minute or less. - **Grease interceptor:** an outdoor, in-ground tank rated above 50 gpm or holding 750 gallons or more. ## Grease traps (Sec. 26-306(f)) - Fitted with a **flow-control device** rated to the trap, and **vented** to end at least 6 inches above the flood rim (or as the manufacturer specifies). - **Opened, inspected, cleaned and maintained at least once a week**, and always before grease and solids pass **25%** of the trap. - Cleaned by a registered hauler or by staff under a **written protocol**. - Removed grease leaves with a registered hauler, unless it’s solid, dry, mixed with absorbent, sealed, and **no more than 5 pounds**. ## Grease interceptors (Sec. 26-306(e)) - Pumped by a **City-registered hauler**, with **complete removal** of floating grease, gray water, bottom sludge and solids, and the walls, floors, baffles and piping scraped. - Pumped **before** any of these: settled solids pass the outlet pipe invert (typically **8 inches**); grease and solids exceed **25%**; the unit stops retaining grease; a blockage or backup; sanitary waste entering the system. - The hauler inspects the interceptor during or right after pumping and must **notify you in writing** if it isn’t working properly. - Nothing removed may be returned to the interceptor or the sewer. ## Records (Sec. 26-306(d)) Keep a logbook of all maintenance: date and time, estimated gallons removed, defects and repairs, hauler and plumber receipts, and sizing or flow calculations. Keep it **one year** and show it on request. Plumbing drawings must reach the inspector within **10 days** of a request. ## Additives (Sec. 26-306(g)) Chemicals, enzymes, emulsifiers, bacteria and grease cutters need the inspector’s **approval first**. The City can require a sampling port, at your expense, to prove a product works. ## Haulers (Sec. 26-308) Pumping traps or interceptors inside city limits without City registration is unlawful. Registration lasts three years and can’t be transferred, and haulers keep their records for three years. See [registered grease haulers in Tampa](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/registered-grease-hauler-tampa/). ## When the City can require a new trap Line stoppages, wastewater grease over 400 mg/l, no trap, a defective trap, remodelling that needs a plumbing permit, unconnected fixtures, or a **sale or change of ownership**. See [buying a restaurant](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/buying-a-restaurant-grease-trap/). ## Violation deadlines and fees After a Notice of Violation: **24 hours** to clean a trap, **72 hours** to pump an interceptor for a missed frequency; **30 days** to repair a trap and **60** for an interceptor; **60 days** to replace a trap and **6 months** for an interceptor. A passed re-inspection is free, and a failed one is billed at **$61 per hour** of inspector time. If the City pumps your interceptor, it adds a **$50** administrative fee to the pumping cost. See [what to do after a Notice of Violation](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/grease-trap-notice-of-violation/). Bottom line Inside Tampa city limits: clean traps weekly, pump interceptors before they hit the triggers, use a City-registered hauler, keep a one-year logbook, and get approval before adding anything to the tank. For a schedule that meets it, call [(727) 476-9241](tel:+17274769241). [Related service 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/)[Also related 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 Inspection A written check of the trap, its fittings and your records before an inspector or a buyer finds the problem. See the service](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/grease-trap-inspection/) Want a quote? [(727) 476-9241](tel:+17274769241) ## Questions about this ### Does Tampa require grease traps to be pumped every 90 days? No. The City of Tampa sets no fixed number of days for interceptors. The 90-day rule belongs to unincorporated Hillsborough County. Inside city limits, pumping is triggered by condition: solids at the outlet, more than 25% grease and solids, loss of retention, or a backup. ### How long do I keep grease trap records in Tampa? The facility logbook is kept for one year and must be available on request (Sec. 26-306(d)). Haulers keep their records for three years. Florida law separately requires you to keep each signed manifest for a year. ### Can I use enzymes in my grease trap in Tampa? Only with the grease inspector's prior approval. You submit the product's composition, how often you'll use it and how it works, and the City may require a sampling port at your expense (Sec. 26-306(g)). ## More guides - [How Do You Choose a Grease Trap Company?Eight questions that separate a hauler who keeps you compliant from one who just empties the tank.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/choosing-a-grease-trap-company/) - [Do Grease Trap Enzymes Replace Pumping?What additives actually do, what each local program allows, and why none of them remove the need to pump.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/grease-trap-enzymes-vs-pumping/) - [How Often Should a Grease Trap Be Cleaned in Tampa Bay?Nine rule sets in one metro. Find the one your kitchen drains into, then check it against how fast your unit actually fills.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/how-often-grease-trap-cleaned-tampa-bay/) - [What Are Hillsborough County's Grease Trap Requirements?The county rule for Brandon, Riverview, Carrollwood, Town 'n' Country and the rest of unincorporated Hillsborough, and how it differs from the City of Tampa's.](https://greasetrapcleaningtampa.com/guide/hillsborough-county-grease-trap-rules/) - [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/)