Authority
Charlotte food service establishments need a grease trap or interceptor for grease-laden wastewater.
Utility-owned compliance workflow
Rule holder: Charlotte Water Flow Free Program
This page serves Charlotte operators, but the actual grease and manifest workflow is governed by Charlotte Water Flow Free Program. The city URL is an entry surface; the authority route is the canonical source-backed path.
Charlotte FOG rules
Charlotte grease trap and interceptor rules
Charlotte, NC grease trap rules for restaurants: interceptor approval, pump-out timing, manifests to keep on site, and hauler checks.
Proof on site
Keep service records and hauling receipts with the business file so maintenance can be verified.
Likely fail trigger
Missing maintenance records or blocked sewer lines can trigger follow-up from Charlotte Water.
Next action
Verify the installed interceptor type against the city approval letter.
Authority Summary
Charlotte food service establishments need a grease trap or interceptor for grease-laden wastewater.
Keep on site
Keep service records and hauling receipts with the business file so maintenance can be verified.
Official requirement
Local Interceptor Requirements
Official requirement
Charlotte food service establishments need a grease trap or interceptor for grease-laden wastewater.
Official requirement
Charlotte Water Flow Free Program approves the interceptor setup through plan review.
Official requirement
Charlotte Water says the device must be properly maintained, cleaned by a grease hauler, and kept from causing sewer blockages or overflows.
Keep on site
Inspection-Ready Proof
fact_check
Keep service records and hauling receipts with the business file so maintenance can be verified.
Keep this accessible before the inspector has to ask twice.
fact_check
The interceptor approval letter or equivalent plan-review record.
Keep this accessible before the inspector has to ask twice.
fact_check
A service history that explains why the current cadence is safe.
Keep this accessible before the inspector has to ask twice.
Inspection and enforcement risk
Common Inspection Failures
Missing maintenance records or blocked sewer lines can trigger follow-up from Charlotte Water.
Failure to resolve this condition can trigger corrective action or delayed approval.
High risk
A missing manifest trail weakens every pump-out claim.
Failure to resolve this condition can trigger corrective action or delayed approval.
High risk
Overdue service or an unclear interceptor setup can push the issue back to the operator.
Failure to resolve this condition can trigger corrective action or delayed approval.
High risk
Need a hauler check before the next pump-out?
Start with the city's official list and then confirm the vendor still covers grease waste and manifest handling.
Charlotte publishes an authority-backed hauler or preferred-pumper list, but it does not recommend or endorse any provider on that list.
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Source stack
Authority-backed sources
Last verified: 2026-04-07
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Charlotte Water says grease traps or interceptors are required for food service establishments and defines hauler and maintenance expectations in its policy.
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Charlotte Water's FlowFree page links the current grease trap policy and the permitted grease hauler list for commercial kitchens.