HCUA Grease Trap Requirements: Permits, 90-Day Rule & Haulers

General information, not legal advice. Summarized from HCUA's Grease Trap Waste Disposal Regulations (adopted April 2, 1992, effective June 1, 1992; posted on HCUA's site as the 12-2021 version) and HCUA's grease generator application checklist dated 1/19/2022. Rules and fees can change, so confirm with HCUA. Last reviewed 2026-10-26.

Who the rules cover

The regulation applies to "generators": any commercial, non-domestic facility that produces grease from commercial food preparation. The definition specifically includes schools, universities, hospitals, and nursing homes, along with restaurants and other food businesses. Each participating jurisdiction must require generators to install and maintain a grease trap under its building codes. HCUA's website links to the Cities of Biloxi, D'Iberville, Gulfport, Long Beach, and Pass Christian, along with Harrison County.

1. Get an HCUA grease trap permit

Every generator must apply to HCUA for a grease trap permit and pay an annual permit fee (Article IV, Section 1).
HCUA's checklist (dated 1/19/2022) asks for a completed application, a copy of your valid Mississippi State Department of Health food service permit, and the annual permit fee, listed on that checklist as $120.00. Check with HCUA for the current fee.
Failing to apply for a permit can result in penalties (Article IV, Section 9).

2. Clean often enough, and watch the 90-day mark

Traps must be cleaned or pumped at whatever interval keeps what they discharge within the sewer use ordinance (Article III, Section 2 and Article IV, Section 2).
A generator that does not clean its trap during any 90-day period, without an approved exception, can be ordered to have the trap inspected and tested (Article IV, Section 3).
HCUA can require more frequent cleaning (Article III, Section 4). Less frequent cleaning requires an exception you apply for, with supporting documentation (Article III, Section 5).
Under HCUA's definition, "clean" means the entire contents are removed and the walls are scraped or cleaned with high-pressure water, then re-pumped.

3. Use an HCUA-permitted hauler

Grease trap waste may only be removed by an HCUA-permitted hauler that properly displays HCUA decals (Article IV, Section 5). Permitted vehicles carry three decals, one on each side and one on the rear (Article V, Section 4).
Haulers must be permitted, bonded, and insured, and must hold a Mississippi State Department of Health license (Articles V and VII).
HCUA publishes a list of permitted septage and grease haulers on its Grease Permits page.
Don't let the hauler discharge anything into the sewer system, including back into the grease trap (Article IV, Section 6).

4. Sign and keep the manifest

The hauler must provide the HCUA Grease Trap Waste Manifest. Before the load leaves, you or your agent complete and sign the generator's section (Article IV, Sections 6 and 7).
Handing waste to a properly licensed, bonded, and compliant hauler is prima facie evidence that you have met your disposal responsibility for that load (Article IV, Section 10). Keep your copies.

5. Know the penalties

If an ordered inspection or test finds a violation, you pay for the inspection, testing, and cleaning, plus fines and penalties (Article IV, Section 4).
Violations start with a written notice and a deadline to correct them. Continuing past the deadline can be fined $50 to $500 for each violation, each day (Article IX).
Chronic violations can lead to permit revocation or discontinued service. A generator whose discharge damages or obstructs the sewer system is billed for HCUA's cleanup and repair costs (Article IX).

Sources: HCUA Grease Trap Regulations (PDF); HCUA Grease Permits page; HCUA Grease Generator Application & Checklist (PDF); HCUA Permitted Septage & Grease Haulers (PDF)

A simple compliance checklist

HCUA grease trap permit in your business's name, renewed every year
A pumping schedule shorter than 90 days, based on the 25% rule
A hauler on HCUA's permitted list, with HCUA decals on the truck
A signed manifest from every pump-out, filed with your permit
Staff trained to scrape plates and keep fryer oil out of drains

Common questions

Do I need an HCUA grease trap permit?

If you prepare food commercially in a jurisdiction that participates in the Harrison County Utility Authority's program, yes. The regulation requires each generator to apply to HCUA for a grease trap permit and pay an annual permit fee. Generators include non-domestic food preparation of any kind, such as restaurants, schools, universities, hospitals, and nursing homes.

How often does HCUA require grease trap cleaning?

The regulation requires cleaning or pumping at whatever interval keeps the trap's discharge within sewer use rules. A generator that goes any 90-day period without cleaning, and has not been granted an exception, can be ordered to have its trap inspected and tested. HCUA's permit checklist reminds generators that traps must be cleaned at least every 90 days to stay in compliance. HCUA can also require more frequent cleaning.

Can I get permission to clean less often than every 90 days?

The regulation allows less frequent cleaning only if the Director determines you will still comply with sewer use rules. You must apply to the Director for an exception and provide the documentation the Director requires.

Who can pump my grease trap in Harrison County?

Only an HCUA-permitted grease trap waste hauler that displays HCUA decals on its vehicle and uses the HCUA Grease Trap Waste Manifest. HCUA publishes a list of permitted septage and grease haulers on its Grease Permits page.

What are the penalties?

If an inspection or test finds a violation, the generator pays the cost of the inspection, testing, and cleaning, plus fines and penalties. Under Article IX, a person who continues a violation past the deadline in a written notice can be fined $50 to $500 for each violation, each day. Chronic violations can lead to permit revocation or discontinued service.

Not in Harrison County?

Different rules apply elsewhere on the Coast. Bay St. Louis falls under the Hancock County Utility Authority's FOG ordinance, which sets a 30-day baseline for interceptors (see Bay St. Louis). For Jackson County, see Ocean Springs and Pascagoula.

Harrison County city pages

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HCUA grease trap requirements: a plain-English guide