What affects grease trap cleaning cost?
By Stew Israil, GreaseTrapRules · Updated Oct 18, 2026 · Every rule below links to its official source. Rules change; verify with your city.
Short answer: the price of a pump-out is set by the pumping company, but your city sets most of what drives it: how often you must pump, whether a skim is allowed, which haulers you can use, and what fees and fines apply. We don't list pump-out prices because we can't verify them; ask local companies for written quotes. Below is what we can source.
The cost drivers
- How many gallons get pumped. A 1,000-gallon outdoor interceptor is a different job from a 20 gpm under-sink trap. Size is often set by the city minimum (see sizing).
- How often your city makes you pump. A 90-day maximum means at least four pump-outs a year; weekly rules for small traps (Joliet, IL) mean 52 cleanings. See how often to pump.
- Full pump-out rules. Cities like Dallas, TX require 100% evacuation, and Florida forbids returning graywater to the trap (Florida Statutes § 403.0741 (grease waste removal and disposal)).
- Approved haulers. Where only permitted or registered haulers may pump (Austin, TX, Houston, TX, Tampa, FL), your choice of companies is narrower.
- Disposal. Haulers pay to dispose of grease waste. One official example: the Downers Grove, IL Sanitary District rate for hauled grease waste is $70 per 1,000 gallons.
- Access and timing. Buried lids, seized bolts and after-hours service all add time. Austin Water tells operators to keep lids clear and bolts working (Austin Water, Grease Trap Maintenance).
- Extra services. Line jetting, repairs and baffle replacement are separate from a pump-out.
Official program fees we track (quoted)
| City | Fee, from the official source |
|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | CWS grease trap fees: Application Fee $30; Inspection Fee $70; Re-inspection Fee $70. ✓ hand-checked |
| Downers Grove, IL | DGSD rate for hauled grease separator waste: $70.00 per 1,000 gallons. ✓ hand-checked |
| Glenview, IL | $100 annual Food Service License inspection renewal fee, plus an initial license fee. ✓ hand-checked |
| Los Angeles, CA | One-time $616 application fee and annual $428 inspection and control fee (as listed by LASAN). ✓ hand-checked |
| Orland Park, IL | Hauler license: $150 per year (includes one vehicle), $75 per additional vehicle. ✓ hand-checked |
| Rockford, IL | $300 FSE permit application cost. ✓ hand-checked |
| San Diego, CA | FEWD plan review for new, remodeled and retrofitted food facilities: the City states there are currently no fees for a FEWD plan review. ✓ hand-checked |
| Springfield, IL | Ordinance addendum lists an interceptor sampling fee of $90, discharge sampling fee of $90 and FOG analysis fee of $50. ✓ hand-checked |
| New Orleans, LA | Grease Trap/Interceptor Discharge Permit Fees are $100 per interceptor and/or grease trap (check or money order only) and must be submitted with the permit application. quoted from source |
| Washington, DC | Beginning August 2019, DC Water will leverage a new monthly fee of $13.70 per month from food-serving establishments (FSEs) to address clogged sewer lines, sewer backups, and infrastructure damage caused by the improper discharge of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) into the sewer system. quoted from source |
The cost of skipping it: fines (quoted)
| City | Penalty, from the official source |
|---|---|
| Arlington Heights, IL | Village Code Sec. 22-701: $5 to $750 per offense; each day a violation continues is a separate offense. ✓ hand-checked |
| Austin, TX | Each missed maintenance or record requirement is a separate violation. Using enzymes, bacteria or other agents to push grease through the trap can bring penalties of up to $2,000 per violation per day (§ 15-10-22(23)). ✓ hand-checked |
| Columbus, OH | Director's Rule 15-04 sets a minimum cost recovery charge of $2,000 per typical sewer blockage incident attributed to improper grease disposal; blockages taking more than four hours to correct can cost more. ✓ hand-checked |
| Elk Grove Village, IL | Village Code 7-5-6: $1,000 to $10,000 per offense, each day a separate offense, plus cleanup costs. ✓ hand-checked |
| Naperville, IL | Naperville Code 4-2-6: $200 to $500 per offense for violations of the grease/refuse chapter; each day is a separate offense. ✓ hand-checked |
| New York, NY | Maximum penalty: $10,000 per day, per violation. ✓ hand-checked |
| Oak Lawn, IL | Disposing of grease in the Village's sewer system can bring a fine of up to $1,000, and it is reported to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, which may add fines (8-2B-8 C). ✓ hand-checked |
| Philadelphia, PA | PWD states that violating any PWD regulation may result in a fine of up to $25,000 per day (Pretreatment Times, Vol. 30). ✓ hand-checked |
| Seattle, WA | Penalties for non-compliance range from $250 to $5,000. Emulsifiers, enzymes and bio-additives are not allowed in interceptors (SMC 21.16.310 D). ✓ hand-checked |
| Aurora, IL | Falsification of maintenance records: $1000 6.3 Appeal of Grease Policy Any Food Service Establishment (FSE) may appeal a fine that has been assessed for failure to comply with the Grease Control Policy. quoted from source |
| Fort Worth, TX | Failure to properly clean and maintain a grease trap may subject the violators to penalties of up to $2,000 per violation per day. quoted from source |
| Oswego, IL | Falsification of maintenance records: $1000 6.3 Appeal of Grease Policy Any Food Service Establishment (FSE) may appeal a fine that has been assessed for failure to comply with the Grease Control Policy. quoted from source |
Ways to keep costs down
- Cut grease at the source: scrape plates, use drain screens and recycle used cooking oil (DC Water, FOG Interceptor/Trap Log (with BMPs)).
- Ask about variances. Jacksonville, FL (JEA) reviews three consecutive on-time cleaning reports before granting a longer interval; Houston, TX has a Notice of Waiver.
- Compare a few local pumping companies and confirm they're approved for your city.
FAQ
How much does grease trap cleaning cost?
We don't publish pump-out prices because they vary by company, trap size and location and we can't source them officially. The biggest drivers are the size of the trap (gallons pumped), how often your city makes you pump, access, disposal costs and any city program fees. Get written quotes from two or three local pumpers.
Why does my city affect the cost?
The city sets the interval (a 90-day rule means at least four pump-outs a year; a weekly small-trap rule means 52 cleanings), may require a full pump-out rather than a skim, may require a permitted hauler and manifests, and may charge its own permit, inspection or FOG fees.
What are the official grease trap fees?
Examples from official sources: Los Angeles lists a one-time $616 application fee and a $428 annual inspection and control fee; DC Water charges food-serving establishments $13.70 per month; New Orleans charges $100 per interceptor or trap for a discharge permit; Rockford lists a $300 FSE permit application.
More guides
How often to pump a grease trapThe 25% rule and the 30, 60 and 90-day schedules cities actually setGrease trap vs. grease interceptorHydromechanical vs. gravity: definitions, sizes and why the pumping rules differGrease interceptor sizing basicsUPC, IPC, PDI and city formulas, plus the minimum sizes cities requireDoes my business need a grease trap?Coffee shops, bakeries, food trucks and drinks-only businesses, by city ruleFOG inspection checklistWhat grease inspectors check, item by item, with the rule behind each oneGrease trap maintenance log (printable)Free printable log plus how long each city makes you keep recordsGrease interceptor sizing calculatorUPC, IPC and PDI G-101 methods
Sources
- Florida Statutes § 403.0741 (grease waste removal and disposal)
- Austin Water, Grease Trap Maintenance
- DC Water, FOG Interceptor/Trap Log (with BMPs)
- JEA, FOG Program Small Trap Maintenance Requirements
- City rules quoted on this page come from each linked city page, which lists its official sources and the date checked.