Miami-Dade DERM Grease Trap Requirements for Food Service Businesses

Official County Position

Miami-Dade regulates non-residential FOG generators.

Miami-Dade's Fats, Oils and Grease program says non-residential facilities that generate FOG, including restaurants, cafeterias, supermarkets, schools, banquet halls, and food courts, need a FOG/GDO permit and an approved operational FOG control device such as a grease interceptor or grease trap. The County explains that FOG can clog and damage sewer infrastructure, which is why generators are regulated.

The County's FOG Discharge Control Operating Permit page states that a non-residential facility that handles, prepares, or processes food and discharges, or has the potential to discharge, FOG into a public sanitary sewer system needs a FOG Discharge Control operating permit. It also says the permit is renewed annually and is non-transferable.

Official sources: Miami-Dade Fats, Oils and Grease and FOG Discharge Control Operating Permit.

Before a Restaurant Lease

Questions to answer before assuming the grease system works.

• Is the business a FOG generator under Miami-Dade guidance?
• Is there an existing grease trap or interceptor on site?
• Can it be accessed, inspected, and pumped?
• Do records show size, model, connection points, and maintenance history?
• Will the proposed menu, seating, takeout volume, and fixtures change the FOG load?
• Will a city, DERM, landlord, or health review require upgrades before opening?

Genesis recommendation: review the grease trap issue before signing a lease or committing to equipment layout. A system that served one tenant may not work for the next tenant, and the cost of replacement can change the business decision.

What Genesis Can Help With

Practical support without pretending to be the County.

Genesis can help owners organize the construction-side facts that usually matter during FOG planning: business type, expected meals, fixture information, proposed interceptor location, access, available records, photographs, and likely installation or replacement constraints. Genesis can also help interpret how an official requirement may affect schedule, scope, and cost once the County, municipality, landlord, or design professional has identified what is required.

Genesis cannot grant County approval, waive DERM requirements, issue a FOG operating permit, or guarantee that a specific device will be approved from a website estimate. The official County pages and the reviewing agency control the permit requirements. This page should be maintained as an educational resource and reviewed whenever Miami-Dade updates its FOG pages, forms, online portal, or enforcement guidance.