Directory · Tampa
Tampa 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 Tampa city limits: the Tampa Fire Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office (Prevention Division), Fire Rescue Headquarters, 808 Zack Street, 813-274-7011. The fire marshal is the authority having jurisdiction under state law and City Code Chapter 11; its Existing Construction Division does the periodic inspections of existing buildings.
- Unincorporated Hillsborough County: the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Office of the Fire Marshal, (813) 744-5541 (weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.), firemarshal@hcfl.gov. Inspections are by appointment.
- Other cities in the county, such as Temple Terrace and Plant City, have their own fire departments. A “Tampa” mailing address does not settle it; check your last fire inspection report.
What code applies
- Florida writes one statewide fire code, enforced locally. Tampa’s adopted codes list names the 2023 8th Edition Florida Fire Prevention Code, NFPA 96 (2021) for commercial cooking exhaust, and NFPA 17A (2021) for wet chemical suppression systems.
- The 9th Edition FFPC is in rulemaking; the proposed rule moves NFPA 96 to the 2024 edition with a proposed effective date of December 31, 2026. Ask your inspector which edition they cite after that date.
- Tampa’s own permit procedures and technical standards are adopted by reference in City Code Chapter 11 (Fire Prevention and Protection).
Inspection intervals (NFPA 96 Table 12.4)
| Type or volume of cooking | Inspect for grease buildup |
|---|---|
| Solid fuel cooking | Monthly |
| High-volume: 24-hour cooking, charbroiling, wok | Quarterly |
| Moderate-volume (most restaurants) | Semiannually |
| Low-volume: churches, day camps, seasonal businesses, senior centers | Annually |
- The whole exhaust system is inspected by a properly trained, qualified, and certified person acceptable to the AHJ (NFPA 96 §12.4). Table text here is from a secondary reproduction; Florida provides free read-only access to the FFPC through NFPA with registration.
- If grease buildup is found, the system is cleaned. Under the 2021 edition, a certificate with the servicing company, the person who did the work, and the date stays on the premises (§12.6.13). The 2024 edition adds a dated hood label and a written report to the owner within two weeks. See two-week report windows.
- Changed the menu? The interval follows the cooking type. See changing your menu or equipment.
Suppression: Florida licensing
- A Florida Class D fire equipment dealer license covers servicing, repairing, recharging, installing, and inspecting pre-engineered fire extinguishing systems, which includes wet chemical hood systems. Technicians hold a preengineered permit (Fla. Stat. §633.304).
- Suppression service is every six months and is a separate job from hood cleaning. Florida’s Chapter 633 license classes cover extinguishers and suppression systems; we found no state license class for hood and duct cleaning. See suppression vs hood cleaning.
Inspections and fees
| City of Tampa (Tampa Fire Rescue) | Unincorporated Hillsborough (HCFR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Routine inspection | By square footage: $75 up to 5,000 sq ft, $90 for 5,001–10,000; plus $30 per hood extinguisher system | By square footage: $55 up to 5,000 sq ft, $75 for 5,001–15,000 |
| Reinspection | No charge if satisfactory; double the initial fee if unsatisfactory; the fourth reinspection doubles again and goes to the Code Review Board | First reinspection no charge; second $82.50 and third $165 (up to 5,000 sq ft) |
| Hood-related | Schedule shown as updated October 2016; confirm current amounts | Hood/Ansul system plan review $60; suppression system test and inspection $75; fees indexed to CPI |
See how to research reinspection fees and what a reinspection notice usually cites.
Grease traps: city or county sewer
Grease rules come from your sewer provider, not the fire code. Hood day still drains into the trap or interceptor.
- City of Tampa sewer (Grease Management Ordinance, City Code Ch. 26, Art. VII): grease traps opened, inspected, cleaned, and maintained at least once a week, and whenever grease and solids pass 25% of the trap’s volume. Interceptors pumped when settled solids reach the outlet pipe invert (typically about 8 inches), when grease and solids pass 25% of capacity, or when the unit stops capturing grease.
- Pump logs and maintenance records stay on site for three years and must be produced immediately on request. Use a city-registered grease hauler. A notice of violation gives you 24 hours to clean a trap and 72 hours to pump an interceptor. A failed city grease reinspection costs $61 per inspector hour. Wastewater Department: 813-274-8070.
- Expanding an existing food service facility makes it a “new” facility under the ordinance (City Code §26-306(b)(1)), which means installing a trap or interceptor to the current Florida plumbing code.
- Hillsborough County utility sewer: grease interceptors and traps serviced at least every 90 days, and contents never above 25% of wetted volume; service invoices or manifests kept on site at least 12 months. FOG Management Program: (813) 272-5977.
- 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 Tampa kitchen
| Job | Rule we found | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Hood, duct, and fan inspection and cleaning | FFPC / NFPA 96 (2021) §12.4, Table 12.4, §12.6 | Certificate on premises; label on the hood |
| Hood suppression service | NFPA 17A (2021); every six months; Class D dealer / preengineered permittee | Service tag less than six months old |
| Grease trap / interceptor | Tampa GMO weekly trap / 25% rule, or Hillsborough 90-day rule | Pump logs and manifests (3 years city; 12 months county) |
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
- Certificate and label left on site with company, technician, and date
- If the same company services your suppression system: a Florida Class D license number
- 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
- Tampa Fire Rescue: Fire Marshal’s Office, Prevention Division (AHJ; City Code Ch. 11; divisions; contact)
- City of Tampa: Adopted codes (PDF) (FFPC 8th edition; NFPA 96 2021; NFPA 17A 2021)
- Tampa Fire Rescue: Permit requirements (technical standards adopted by reference in Ch. 11)
- Tampa Fire Rescue: Fire code compliance inspection fees (square footage fees; hood extinguisher $30; reinspection rules)
- Hillsborough County: Fire Marshal inspection services (contact; appointments)
- Hillsborough County: Fire Marshal permit fee schedule
- Florida State Fire Marshal: Florida Fire Prevention Code
- State Fire Marshal: Notice of proposed rule (PDF) (NFPA 96 2024 edition; proposed effective December 31, 2026)
- Hood Cleaning School: NFPA 96 excerpts (secondary; §12.4 and Table 12.4 text)
- NAFED: NFPA 96 2024 vs 2021 edition changes (§12.6.13–12.6.15)
- Florida Statutes §633.304 (2026) (Class D license; preengineered permit)
- City of Tampa: Grease Ordinance FAQ (trap and interceptor maintenance; reinspection cost)
- City of Tampa: Grease Management Ordinance compliance deadlines (records 3 years; NOV deadlines)
- City of Tampa Wastewater: Director’s guidelines for new food service facilities (PDF) (§26-306(b)(1) expanded facilities)
- Hillsborough County: FOG grease interceptor and grease trap FAQ (PDF) (90-day service; 25%; 12-month records)
- Hillsborough County: Industrial pretreatment and grease management
Related guides
- How often to inspect
- Inspection vs cleaning
- What your report must show
- Grease trap service and hood day
- Taking over a restaurant
- Quote checklist
- Orlando · Miami
Request a listing: company, metro, certs, insurance, service area, photo-report policy. Tell us whether you serve the City of Tampa, unincorporated Hillsborough County, or both.