Directory · Charlotte
Charlotte commercial kitchen hood cleaning
Research index for operators. Public rules we found, how to vet a cleaner, open listing slots. Not a ranked vendor list.
First, which fire marshal is yours
- Inside Charlotte city limits: the Charlotte Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau, 500 Dalton Avenue, 704-336-2101 (weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. per the city page).
- Charlotte ETJ, unincorporated Mecklenburg, and the towns of Pineville, Matthews, Mint Hill, Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson: the Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal’s Office. The county says plainly that it is a separate agency from Charlotte Fire.
- A “Charlotte” mailing address does not settle it. Check the jurisdiction on your certificate of occupancy or your last fire inspection report.
What code applies
- North Carolina writes one statewide fire code. The code in force is the 2018 North Carolina Fire Prevention Code, which is the 2015 IFC with NC amendments; the Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal’s Office says so on its fire code page.
- The 2024 North Carolina Fire Code (based on the 2021 IFC) has been adopted but its effective date keeps moving. State law S.L. 2025-2 ties it to a State Fire Marshal certification followed by a 12-month wait, and the 2018 code stays in effect until then. A June 2026 update from the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors said it was still not in effect. Ask your fire marshal which edition they cite.
- Under the 2018 code, hood cleaning sits in §609.3.3. In the 2024 code the same rules move to §606.3.3 with the same Table intervals.
Inspection intervals (NC Fire Code Table 609.3.3.1)
| Type of cooking operation | Inspect at least every |
|---|---|
| Solid fuel-burning cooking appliances | 1 month |
| High-volume: 24-hour, charbroiling, wok | 3 months |
| All other cooking operations | 6 months |
| Low-volume: places of worship, seasonal, senior centers | 12 months |
- Inspections by qualified individuals, or as approved by the fire code official (§609.3.3.1).
- Grease found means cleaning to ANSI/IKECA C10 (§609.3.3.2).
- Records name the individual and company, describe the inspection, and give the date; cleaning records name who cleaned and when (§609.3.3.3).
- A tag with the provider’s name, address, phone, and service date goes in a conspicuous spot; prior tags are covered or removed (§609.3.3.3.1).
- The NC Office of State Fire Marshal has issued a formal interpretation that the table covers inspection of the hood, filters, duct, and grease components only. Suppression service is a separate requirement (§609.3.4, referring to §904.12.6).
The Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal’s common-violations list says hood and suppression systems are both required to be serviced every six months. That matches the “all other cooking” row; high-volume and solid-fuel kitchens still fall under the shorter intervals.
Charlotte Fire: reports and registered companies
- Charlotte Fire asks service companies to forward life safety inspection reports for businesses in the city to CFDBldgSysRpt@ci.charlotte.nc.us. The list on the city page includes hood suppression systems. It does not name hood or duct cleaning reports, so ask your cleaner whether they send theirs and keep your own copy on site either way.
- Since January 1, 2010, companies that install or service portable extinguishers or suppression systems protecting commercial cooking equipment must follow Charlotte Fire’s Fire Equipment Servicing Guidelines. The city publishes a list of companies that registered. The city calls it an acknowledgement of local requirements, not a license.
- The Fire Prevention page also links a one-page PDF titled Frequency of Kitchen Hood System Service. We could not retrieve it on 2026-10-10, so its contents are Unknown here. Read it on the city page before you set your schedule.
- New hood installs and upfits need a fire inspection before a certificate of occupancy. Charlotte Fire schedules those at the same number. See opening a new restaurant.
Grease traps: Charlotte Water FlowFree
Grease traps and interceptors are a Charlotte Water matter, not a fire code one. Hood day still drains into them.
- Charlotte Water’s grease trap policy: outside traps pumped quarterly; small under-sink traps monthly, or as Charlotte Water directs
- Maintenance file on site, available for inspection, kept three years (as-built drawings for the life of the trap)
- Businesses register with the FlowFree FOG Control program through Charlotte Water’s online reporting tool and submit maintenance documents there; the registration page lists charlotte@swiftcomply.com and 503-522-3544 for help
- Ask your hood cleaner where the wash water goes. It should go to the grease interceptor, not a storm drain or the parking lot. See chemical runoff and grease waste.
Three separate jobs in a Charlotte kitchen
| Job | Rule we found | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Hood, duct, and fan inspection and cleaning | NC Fire Code §609.3.3 / Table 609.3.3.1; IKECA C10 | Tag on the hood; written report kept on site |
| Hood suppression service | §609.3.4 / §904.12.6; Charlotte Fire Equipment Servicing Guidelines | Service tag; report forwarded to CFDBldgSysRpt@ci.charlotte.nc.us (city) |
| Grease trap / interceptor | Charlotte Water grease trap policy; FlowFree program | Pumping records, three years; uploads to FlowFree |
Vet checklist
- Certs your AHJ accepts (IKECA or equivalent): ask, then verify
- Certificate of insurance before they arrive
- Photo report: plenum, ducts, rooftop fan, not only the canopy
- Full-system vs canopy wipe in writing, with any inaccessible areas listed
- Tag on the hood with name, address, phone, and date
- If the same company services your suppression system: on Charlotte Fire’s registered companies list (city locations)
- Wash water routed to the grease interceptor
Open listing slots
Unverified until docs in — Slot 1
Unverified until docs in — Slot 2
Unverified until docs in — Slot 3
Unverified until docs in — Slot 4
Sources
- City of Charlotte: Fire Prevention (contact; report forwarding address; Fire Equipment Servicing Guidelines; registered companies; CO inspections; “Frequency of Kitchen Hood System Service” PDF link)
- Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal’s Office: NC Fire Prevention Code requirements (county vs Charlotte jurisdiction; 2018 code; six-month hood and suppression service)
- North Carolina Fire Prevention Code 2018, Chapter 6 (UpCodes) (§609.3.3, Table 609.3.3.1, records, tags)
- NC OSFM interpretation: Hood inspections (2019) (Table 609.3.3.1 does not cover suppression service)
- NC OSFM: 2024 State Building Code implementation delayed (S.L. 2025-2; 2018 code remains in effect)
- NC Licensing Board for General Contractors: code effective date update, June 1, 2026 (PDF)
- Charlotte Water: Grease trap policy (PDF) (quarterly / monthly pumping; three-year records)
- Charlotte Water: FlowFree FOG Control business registration
Related guides
- How often to inspect
- Suppression system vs hood cleaning
- What the service label should show
- What a reinspection notice usually cites
- What your report must show
- Quote checklist
- Nashville · Atlanta
Request a listing: company, metro, certs, insurance, service area, photo-report policy. Tell us whether you serve Charlotte city, Mecklenburg County towns, or both.