Grease Disposal Services in Florida — 2026 Statewide Compliance Guide by County

Originally published: March 2025 | Updated: June 2026 | Reviewed by Grease Pros

Florida restaurants must dispose of used cooking oil through licensed haulers under Florida Statute § 403.0741 and the Florida DEP Used Oil Management Program (§§ 403.75–403.769), but five major counties — Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orange, and Hillsborough — enforce additional permit, manifest, and penalty requirements that exceed the state baseline.

GreasePros Recycling LLC (DOT #4136566) provides DERM-compliant collection across South Florida and statewide service, with free locked containers, bilingual support in English and Spanish, and hurricane-season protocols.

Key Takeaways

• Florida Statute § 403.0741 and §§ 403.75–403.769 set the statewide baseline — licensed haulers, signed manifests, and proper transport to permitted processing facilities — but county-level FOG ordinances add permit types, electronic reporting portals, and automatic penalties that vary by jurisdiction.
• Miami-Dade enforces the strictest program: annual GDO permits, the 25% Rule, electronic manifest uploads, and an automatic $250 fee for missed pump-out logs — no other Florida county matches this level of enforcement.
• Florida has no statewide grease interceptor mandate in the state environmental code; the duty to install an interceptor derives from each county’s sewer ordinance and the Florida Building Code Plumbing volume.
• GreasePros Recycling serves all five major Florida FOG enforcement regions with manifests formatted for each county’s specific portal and documentation requirements.

What Florida Statutes Regulate Grease Disposal Statewide?

Three layers of Florida law govern used cooking oil disposal: the FOG hauler licensing statute, the Used Oil Management Program, and Florida Administrative Code rules that set manifest and transport standards.

• Florida Statute § 403.0741 — requires licensed haulers to transport FOG to permitted processing facilities and maintain signed service manifests for every collection event
• Florida Statutes §§ 403.75–403.769 — the DEP Used Oil Management Program, established in 1984 and nationally recognized, covering hauler registration, transport standards, and recycling requirements
• Florida Statute § 403.751 — prohibits discharging used oil into sewers, drainage systems, septic tanks, surface water, or groundwater; prohibits mixing used oil with hazardous substances
• Florida Administrative Code Rule 62-710 — sets operational standards for used oil handlers, including EPA identification numbers, state registration, and transport documentation
• Florida Administrative Code Chapter 62-705 — grease waste hauler manifests, compliance documentation, and penalty framework ($100–$5,000 per offense)
• Florida Building Code Plumbing Volume — requires grease interceptors for food service establishments discharging to public sewers, with interceptors meeting ASME A112.14.3 or PDI G-101 standards

Florida has no statewide grease interceptor mandate in its environmental code. The interceptor requirement stems from each county’s local sewer ordinance and the Florida Building Code, so enforcement intensity, permit types, and penalty schedules vary by jurisdiction.

How Do Florida County FOG Requirements Differ by Region?

Florida’s five highest-volume restaurant counties each enforce FOG compliance through a separate agency with its own permit type, pump-out schedule, manifest portal, and penalty framework — a restaurant that is compliant in Tampa may be non-compliant in Miami-Dade without adjusting its documentation.

County	Enforcement Agency	Permit Type	Pump-Out Rule	Manifest Requirement	Key Penalty
Miami-Dade	DERM (County Code Ch. 24)	Annual GDO permit (expires Dec 31)	25% Rule + 90-day max	DERM-formatted; upload to WASD portal within 5 days	$250 automatic fee for logs exceeding 90 days
Broward	Water & Wastewater Services, (954) 831-0952	Quarterly compliance; yellow “compliance decal” required near trap	90-day (quarterly)	Quarterly pump-out manifests; compliance decal verification	$500 fine for unlicensed haulers
Palm Beach	Solid Waste Authority (SWA) oversight	Biennial permit	25% Rule; per-permit schedule	Grease Trap Self-Certification form each January; low-volume variance available (<40 lb/week)	Permit tied to food-service license renewal
Orange	OCU FOG Control Program; Orlando Wastewater Division (City Code Ch. 28)	Per-permit basis; annual certificate	90-day or 25% Rule; enhanced inspections in Disney/resort corridor	Online portal auto-flags missing manifests; 30-day warning before fines	County tests effluent for FOG <100 mg/L
Hillsborough	EPC, (813) 627-2600; Tampa Water Dept Pretreatment, (813) 274-8551	Grease Management Program	90-day pump-out	City of Tampa approved manifests for all service events	Unannounced inspections; enforcement under Tampa Code Ch. 26

What Are Miami-Dade County’s Grease Disposal Requirements?

Miami-Dade enforces the most intensive FOG compliance program in Florida — annual GDO permits, electronic manifest uploads, the 25% Rule, and an automated $250 penalty system that no other Florida county matches.

• Permit: Annual GDO permit from DERM under Section 24-42.6; expires December 31; non-transferable
• Interceptor rule: 25% Rule — clean before FOG exceeds 25% of wetted depth
• Manifest portal: Electronic upload to WASD Pretreatment portal within 5 days of each pump-out via FOG portal
• Automatic penalty: $250 administrative fee when pump-out logs exceed 90 days; nightly automated audit
• Hauler requirement: Must hold an active DERM Class I or Class II liquid waste transporter permit — state registration alone is insufficient
• Property transfer: FOG Generator Disclosure Statement required under Section 21-49.2
• Contact: DERM WASD Industrial Waste Section, (305) 547-2840

GreasePros Recycling holds DERM permits for all 34 Miami-Dade municipalities and generates DERM-formatted manifests for every pickup.

What Are Broward County’s FOG Compliance Rules?

Broward County requires quarterly grease trap pump-outs and issues a yellow “compliance decal” that must be affixed near the trap — inspectors verify the decal during health reviews.

• Pump-out schedule: Every 90 days (quarterly); no variance for standard food service
• Compliance decal: County issues a yellow decal after each pump-out; must be visible near the interceptor
• Hauler penalty: $500 fine for using unlicensed haulers
• Inspection frequency: Annual inspections are common in the Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton/Delray Beach restaurant corridor due to high food service density
• Contact: Broward County Water and Wastewater Services, (954) 831-0952

GreasePros Recycling serves Broward County restaurants from its West Park base — located within the county — with same-day emergency response for spills and compliance emergencies.

What Are Palm Beach County’s Grease Disposal Requirements?

Palm Beach County operates a biennial permit system under the Solid Waste Authority’s oversight — the only major Florida county with a two-year permit cycle rather than annual renewal.

• Permit: Biennial (two-year); tied directly to food-service license renewal
• Self-certification: Grease Trap Self-Certification form required each January
• Pump-out rule: 25% Rule applies; per-permit pump-out schedule set at issuance
• Low-volume variance: Facilities producing fewer than 40 pounds of grease per week may apply for a 6-month pump-out variance
• Random inspections: Biennial permit renewal triggers site inspection; random inspections occur after holiday weekends when grease spill reports spike

GreasePros Recycling provides compliant collection across all Palm Beach County ZIP codes, including Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Delray Beach.

Multi-county Florida restaurant operators need a hauler whose manifests match each county’s specific portal and documentation format. GreasePros Recycling generates county-specific compliance documentation for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach from a single service relationship. Call (786) 655-7070.

What Does Orange County Require for Grease Disposal in Orlando?

Orange County Utilities (OCU) operates a FOG Control Program with per-permit pump-out schedules, an online auto-flagging manifest portal, and enhanced inspections for restaurants in the Walt Disney World resort corridor.

• Permit: Per-permit basis; annual certificate renews only after the latest manifest is uploaded
• Pump-out rule: 90-day standard or 25% Rule — whichever triggers first
• Online portal: Auto-flags missing manifests and emails a 30-day warning before fines accrue
• Effluent testing: County tests effluent for FOG <100 mg/L during inspections
• Disney/resort corridor: Enhanced inspection frequency for food service operations near Walt Disney World due to high restaurant density
• Dual jurisdiction: City of Orlando Wastewater Division (City Code Chapter 28) covers city sewer customers; OCU covers unincorporated Orange County — verify which utility serves your address before contacting for compliance
• Contact: Orange County Utilities Industrial Waste, (407) 254-9770

GreasePros Recycling serves Orlando-area restaurants with manifests formatted for OCU’s online portal requirements.

What Does Hillsborough County Require for Grease Disposal in Tampa?

Hillsborough County’s Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) and the City of Tampa Water Department jointly administer FOG programs in the Tampa Bay area, whose enforcement depends on which utility serves the restaurant’s address.

• Pump-out rule: 90-day pump-out through the county’s Grease Management Program
• Manifests: City of Tampa approved manifests required for all service events
• Inspections: Routine, unannounced inspections verify interceptor structural condition, flow-rate sizing, and FOG containment
• Dual jurisdiction: Hillsborough County EPC covers unincorporated areas; City of Tampa Wastewater covers city sewer customers under Tampa Code Chapter 26
• Contact: Hillsborough County EPC, (813) 627-2600; Tampa Water Department Industrial Pretreatment, (813) 274-8551

GreasePros Recycling provides statewide service in Florida, including Tampa Bay area collection, with manifests formatted to meet City of Tampa documentation standards.

How Much Do Grease Disposal Services Cost in Florida?

GreasePros Recycling provides free used cooking oil collection for Florida restaurants producing 40 or more gallons per month — no setup fees, no monthly charges, and no long-term contracts.

• UCO collection fee: $0 for qualified restaurants (40+ gallons/month)
• Container installation: $0 for all 4 sizes (55-gallon, 140-gallon, 240-gallon, under-counter)
• UCO rebates: $0.15–$0.55 per gallon, depending on volume and oil quality
• Grease trap cleaning: $150–$500 for standard under-sink traps; $300–$1,500+ for large outdoor interceptors (varies by trap size and FOG accumulation)
• Emergency response: Same-day dispatch from West Park, FL base for South Florida; statewide emergency service available
• Non-compliance cost comparison: A single missed manifest cycle in Miami-Dade costs $250 in automatic fees; using an unlicensed hauler in Broward costs $500; statewide penalties under Chapter 62-705 range from $100–$5,000 per offense

How Does GreasePros Recycling Serve Florida Restaurants Statewide?

GreasePros Recycling LLC (DOT #4136566) operates from two Florida locations — West Park (Miami-Dade) and Cape Canaveral (Brevard) — providing used cooking oil collection across all five major FOG enforcement counties and statewide.

• South Florida hub: West Park, FL 33023 — serves Miami-Dade (all 34 municipalities), Broward, and Palm Beach counties with same-day emergency response
• Space Coast hub: Cape Canaveral, FL 32920 — serves Brevard, Orange, Volusia, and Central Florida counties
• County-specific manifests: Documentation formatted for each county’s portal and compliance requirements — DERM, Broward Water & Wastewater, Palm Beach SWA, OCU, and Tampa Wastewater
• Hurricane protocols: 48-hour pre-storm collection is activated when the National Hurricane Center issues a tropical storm watch for any Florida service area
• Bilingual service: Full English and Spanish dispatch, field crews, documentation, and emergency communication
• Biodiesel routing: All collected UCO is transported to certified Florida processing facilities for ASTM-grade biodiesel conversion

Florida’s five major restaurant counties each enforce different permits, portals, and penalty schedules — one missed manifest can cost $250–$500 depending on jurisdiction. 

GreasePros Recycling generates county-specific compliant documentation from a single hauler relationship across all five regions. Call (786) 655-7070 or request service online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Florida have a single statewide grease interceptor mandate? Florida has no statewide grease interceptor mandate in its environmental code. The requirement to install a grease interceptor is set by each county’s local sewer ordinance and the Florida Building Code Plumbing Volume, which references the ASME A112.14.3 and PDI G-101 interceptor standards.

What is Florida Statute § 403.0741, and how does it affect restaurants? 

Florida Statute § 403.0741 requires all food service establishments to use licensed haulers for FOG transport and maintain signed service manifests for every collection event. County-level FOG ordinances in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orange, and Hillsborough add additional permit, portal, and penalty requirements above this state baseline.

Which Florida county has the strictest enforcement of grease disposal? 

Miami-Dade County enforces the most intensive FOG compliance program in Florida through DERM — annual GDO permits, the 25% Rule, electronic manifest uploads within 5 days, an automated nightly audit system, and a $250 automatic administrative fee for pump-out logs exceeding 90 days.

What is the 25% Rule for grease traps in Florida? 

The 25% Rule requires food service establishments to clean grease interceptors before FOG accumulation exceeds 25% of the wetted depth. Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Orange counties explicitly enforce this rule — Broward and Hillsborough use a 90-day quarterly pump-out standard as the primary compliance trigger.

How much does it cost to not comply with Florida grease disposal laws? 

Non-compliance penalties vary by county: Miami-Dade charges an automatic $250 fee per missed manifest cycle; Broward imposes $500 fines for unlicensed haulers; and statewide penalties under Florida Administrative Code Chapter 62-705 range from $100 to $5,000 per offense, depending on violation severity and repeat history.

Do Florida restaurants earn money from used cooking oil? 

Florida restaurants earn $0.15–$0.55 per gallon from licensed haulers, depending on oil quality, monthly volume, and proximity to biodiesel processing facilities. Miami-Dade kitchens average $0.40 per gallon due to South Florida’s dense network of certified biodiesel processors.

What is the difference between Florida DEP registration and county-level FOG permits? 

Florida DEP registration under §§ 403.75–403.769 covers statewide hauler licensing and used oil transport standards. County-level FOG permits — such as Miami-Dade’s GDO permit or Palm Beach’s biennial permit — add local compliance requirements, including electronic portal reporting, specific manifest formats, and jurisdiction-specific penalty schedules.

Does GreasePros Recycling serve all five major Florida FOG counties? 

GreasePros Recycling operates from two Florida bases — West Park in Miami-Dade and Cape Canaveral in Brevard — serving Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orange, Hillsborough, and all surrounding Florida counties with manifests formatted for each county’s specific compliance portal and documentation requirements.

What happens to used cooking oil after collection in Florida? 

Licensed haulers transport the collected UCO to certified Florida processing facilities, where it is converted to ASTM D6751-grade biodiesel through transesterification, yielding 90–97% fuel recovery per gallon. Glycerin byproduct sells for soap and pharmaceutical manufacturing, and finished biodiesel is distributed as B20 blends for commercial fleets throughout the Southeast.

Is Florida Statute § 403.7225 related to restaurant grease disposal? 

Florida Statute § 403.7225 addresses local hazardous waste management assessments for small quantity generators — it does not govern used cooking oil or FOG disposal for food service establishments. The relevant restaurant grease statutes are § 403.0741 for FOG hauler licensing and manifests, and §§ 403.75–403.769 for the broader Used Oil Management Program administered by the Florida DEP.

Latest Post