Opening a New Restaurant in LA: Your Grease Trap and FOG Compliance Checklist

Confirm whether the existing space has an interceptor

Ask the landlord or the previous tenant. If there is an existing interceptor, get the specifications: size in gallons, location, last service date, and whether it passed the most recent health inspection. An undersized or non-compliant interceptor from a previous tenant is your problem the moment you take over the space.

Verify the sewer connection type

Some older commercial spaces have private lateral lines that connect to a main sewer at an odd location. This affects interceptor placement. Your plumber needs to know the sewer line path before bidding the interceptor installation.

Submit your kitchen plan to LACDPH Environmental Health

New restaurant permits require plan review. Submit your kitchen layout, equipment list, and proposed grease interceptor specifications. LACDPH will determine whether the interceptor size and placement are adequate. Do not purchase or install the unit before this approval.

Get the FOG interceptor approved by the Bureau of Sanitation

If you are within City of LA limits, your interceptor also needs approval from the Bureau of Sanitation before installation. This is a separate step from the LACDPH plan review. Missing it means your interceptor may not be recognized under the FOG Control Program — even if it passes a health inspection.

Pull the plumbing permit

Interceptor installation requires a plumbing permit from the LA Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). Work done without a permit can result in a stop-work order and require demolition and reinstallation. Use a licensed plumber who will pull the permit on your behalf.

Size the interceptor correctly — do not guess

Interceptor sizing is calculated using a formula based on the number of drainage fixture units (DFUs) in your kitchen, the type of cooking equipment, and the number of dishwasher cycles per hour. This is not a judgment call. Use the LACDPH or Bureau of Sanitation sizing worksheet, or have a licensed engineer calculate it. An undersized trap will fail its first inspection.

Locate the interceptor for access

Outdoor interceptors must be accessible for pumping without requiring equipment to be moved. In LA kitchens where outdoor space is limited, this often means coordinating with the landlord on the concrete cut location and lid placement. A trap that your service provider cannot access easily is one that will be neglected.

Schedule the final plumbing inspection

After installation, LADBS must sign off on the plumbing permit. This inspection confirms the interceptor is installed per code. No certificate of occupancy will issue until all plumbing inspections are cleared.

Establish your service schedule with a licensed hauler

Do not wait until after opening to find a grease service provider. Set up your maintenance schedule before you open so you have an established cadence from day one. Your first service should be scheduled within the first 30 days of operation — new traps fill faster before the bacterial baseline is established.

Train your kitchen team on FOG Best Management Practices

Before service starts, brief your entire kitchen staff on the four core behaviors: scrape plates before washing, never pour grease down a drain, use dry cleanup methods for spills before mopping, and report any slow drains immediately. One untrained employee can undo a compliant system quickly.

Set up your compliance record-keeping system

Create a physical folder and a digital folder on day one. Every manifest and service receipt goes in both locations, labeled with the date. When your first LACDPH inspection comes — and it will come within the first 60 to 90 days of a new permit — you want to be able to produce records immediately.

Expect your first health inspection within 60–90 days

New restaurant permits in LA County typically receive a pre-opening inspection (before you open to the public) and a follow-up operational inspection within the first 90 days. The first inspection is often more detailed for new operations than for established ones. Have everything documented and accessible.

Calibrate your service frequency based on real fill rates

Your first few service visits will tell you how fast your trap actually fills based on your menu and volume. Ask your technician to measure and document the FOG depth at each visit. After two or three services, you will have enough data to set a reliable interval that keeps you safely under the 25% threshold.