Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit in Denver, Colorado (2026)
Without a Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit, Denver's Wastewater Management Division will shut down your hood exhaust and drain system, halting kitchen operations until you comply. The Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit — also called a grease interceptor or FOG (fats, oils, grease) permit — is required by the City of Denver to prevent kitchen discharge from clogging municipal sewer lines and causing $10,000+ in treatment costs per incident.
Key facts:
- 31 fields — ApronPrep auto-fills 26
- $0 government filing fees — Denver charges no permit fee for initial submission
- Timeline varies — depends on inspection scheduling and system compliance
Most applicants complete this application in under 15 minutes with ApronPrep, which auto-fills 26 of 31 fields.
Analyzed from Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit
84% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
Why You Need a Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit
In Denver, a Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit is mandated by the Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI) and Denver Water to enforce local sewer use and discharge regulations. The core legal basis is the Denver Revised Municipal Code (DRMC), Sections 49-11 and 49-157, which govern waste discharge prohibitions and pretreatment standards. These ordinances specifically restrict the discharge of fats, oils, and greases (FOG) into the public sewer system to prevent line blockages and protect the city's wastewater infrastructure. The permit is a prerequisite for connecting your restaurant's plumbing to the municipal sewer line, verifying your installed interceptor's capacity and maintenance plan complies with Denver's specific design and operational standards.
Operating without this permit—or failing its associated inspections—triggers immediate enforcement actions. Based on Denver's enforcement protocols, common penalties include:
- Daily fines for non-compliance and illegal discharge, which can accumulate rapidly during a violation period.
- Service disconnection by Denver Water, effectively shutting down your kitchen and restrooms until compliance is proven.
- Required remediation costs, including mandated cleaning of the public sewer line impacted by your discharge and upgrades to your interceptor system.
- Permit revocation, which can halt your Certificate of Occupancy process and violate your lease's operating covenants, potentially putting your tenancy at risk.
Legal code: Local sewer use regulations, water connection requirements, road/sidewalk ordinances, grease discharge limits
Recent update: As of 2026, Denver DOTI has integrated its grease interceptor permitting and inspection scheduling into a centralized online portal, requiring all new applications and compliance reports to be filed digitally.
Who Needs a Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required under Denver Wastewater Ordinance § 56-101, as these facilities generate significant fats, oils, and grease (FOG) in kitchen wastewater. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required if the establishment has a kitchen that prepares food; bars without food prep may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by Denver Water. |
| Food Truck | Not Required | Typically not required as mobile units connect to a commissary's permitted system, but the commissary kitchen itself must hold the permit. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required if the business operates a kitchen with food prep sinks, dishwashers, or equipment that produces grease-laden wastewater. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (31 Fields)
26 of 31 auto-filledBusiness Legal Name
textEnter the exact legal name of your restaurant as it appears on your Articles of Incorporation or fictitious business name filing with the Colorado Secretary of State.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a trading name (e.g., 'Denver Diner') instead of the registered legal entity (e.g., 'Rocky Mountain Hospitality LLC'), which will cause the application to be rejected as incomplete.
Business Physical Address
textEnter the complete street address of the food service facility, including suite or unit number, city, state, and ZIP code—this must be the physical location where the grease trap/interceptor will be installed.
COMMON MISTAKE: Providing a P.O. Box or a corporate mailing address, which Denver Public Works - Wastewater Management will not accept; the address must be the physical premises.
Type of Food Service Operation or Industrial Process
textDescribe your primary food service activity (e.g., 'full-service restaurant,' 'fast food with high-volume frying,' 'bakery,' 'catering kitchen') as this determines your grease waste load calculation per Denver's Plumbing Code.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using overly generic terms like 'restaurant' or 'food service,' which lack the specificity Denver requires for proper classification and sizing.
Dining Room Square Footage
textEnter the total square footage dedicated to customer dining space, measured from interior wall to interior wall, which is used to estimate customer capacity and indirectly the fixture count.
COMMON MISTAKE: Estimating or rounding this number; Denver requires precise measurements, and estimates often trigger a request for a floor plan, delaying review by 1–2 weeks.
Patio Seating Square Footage
textEnter the square footage of any exterior patio dining area; if none, enter '0' or 'N/A'.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this field blank or entering 'none,' which can be misinterpreted; explicitly entering '0' or 'N/A' prevents follow-up questions.
Bar Seating Square Footage
textEnter the square footage of the standalone bar seating area, separate from the main dining room; this helps determine total occupancy load.
COMMON MISTAKE: Combining bar area with general dining square footage, which skews the seating capacity calculation and can affect the permit conditions.
Total Seating Capacity (persons)
textEnter the maximum number of persons your facility is designed to seat simultaneously in all dining areas (dining room, patio, bar), based on your floor plan and fire occupancy permit.
COMMON MISTAKE: Guessing or providing an aspirational number; this must match the official capacity from your approved building or fire occupancy plans.
Kitchen and Food Preparation Area Description
textProvide a brief description of kitchen operations, including primary cooking methods (e.g., frying, grilling) and major equipment (e.g., 3-compartment sink, dish machine, grease-producing appliances).
COMMON MISTAKE: Being too vague (e.g., 'we cook food'); Denver reviewers need specifics to assess the potential grease load and required interceptor size.
Kitchen Square Footage
textEnter the total square footage of the kitchen and all food prep areas, including dry storage, which factors into the wastewater flow calculation.
COMMON MISTAKE: Omitting ancillary prep or dishwashing areas, leading to an undersized grease trap specification that will fail inspection.
Number of Fixtures Discharging to Grease System
textEnter the total count of all plumbing fixtures (e.g., pot sinks, prep sinks, dishwashers, floor drains, wok stations) that will discharge grease-laden wastewater into the interceptor.
COMMON MISTAKE: Forgetting floor drains or mop sinks, which are common sources of FOG (fats, oils, grease) and must be included; omitting them is a top reason for rejection.
ApronPrep auto-fills 26 of 31 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit Mistakes
1. Listing an Incorrect or Missing Grease Interceptor ID
Leaving the grease interceptor manufacturer's model/serial number field blank or guessing causes immediate rejection. Denver Public Works' Right-of-Way Services requires this exact ID for equipment verification. For example, entering '1000-gallon trap' instead of 'Model Z-1042, Serial #ZX-88921' will add 2–3 weeks to your timeline for a correction request and re-submission.
2. Submitting Incomplete or Unsealed Plumbing Plans
Submitting a basic floor plan without a detailed, sealed plumbing schematic showing the exact grease trap location, pipe diameters, and flow direction is a top rejection reason. Denver requires these plans to be stamped by a licensed Colorado plumbing professional. An unstamped drawing or a generic site plan will be rejected, delaying your permit by 3–4 weeks while you hire a plumber to draft compliant plans.
3. Miscalculating Grease Interceptor Sizing
Using generic sizing charts or guessing the required capacity based on seating alone leads to undersized equipment, which violates Denver's Wastewater Standards. The calculation must be based on the fixture unit count for all kitchen fixtures (sinks, dishwashers, prep sinks) per the Uniform Plumbing Code. A miscalculation discovered during inspection can result in a failed inspection, a cease-work order, and a 4–6 week delay to purchase and install a correctly sized unit.
Skip the Paperwork on Your Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit
ApronPrep auto-fills 26 of 31 fields from one compliance interview.
No credit card required
Grease Trap/Interceptor Permit by City in Colorado
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | Contact City of Aurora Water and Sewer Department for current Commercial Wastewater Discharge Permit application and inspection fees | 10-15 business days for plan review; timeline may extend based on completeness of submission |
| Colorado Springs | ||
| Denver |
Timeline: Varies
Determine if grease interceptor is required based on business type (food preparation, processing, or organic waste generation)
Review Denver's Wastewater Management Division (WMD) business classification guide to confirm whether your restaurant triggers the grease interceptor requirement. Food service operations with any hot oil use, meat processing, or organic waste disposal almost always require an interceptor — contact WMD at (720) 913-1300 if your operation is mixed-use or non-traditional.
Calculate required interceptor size using turnover rate (2.0), categorical use factor, seating capacity, and 2.5 gallons water per place setting
Work with your MEP engineer or use Denver's published sizing formula: Interceptor size (gallons) = seating capacity × 2.5 gallons per seat × categorical use factor × 2.0 turnover rate. Example: 60-seat restaurant with full kitchen = 60 × 2.5 × 1.0 × 2.0 = 300 gallons minimum. Undersizing is the #1 cause of permit rejection — have your engineer verify the calculation before submitting.
Design grease interceptor system meeting City of Denver criteria
Hire a licensed MEP engineer to design the interceptor system according to Denver's Standards and Specifications for Public Works Construction (Chapter 60 criteria). The design must include sump depth, inlet/outlet configurations, and cleanout access points — Denver does not accept standard manufacturer designs without site-specific engineering.
Where to Apply
Applications are handled by your local department of public works (dpw) in each city. Select your city below for authority details, fees, and processing timeline.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Colorado.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Application for Employer Identification Number
federal
Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (Corporation)
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsProcessing timelines vary depending on whether your grease trap installation requires plan review and inspection; contact the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHAE) for current processing estimates, as they adjust timelines based on application volume. Most permits involve an initial application review (typically 5–10 business days) followed by an on-site inspection once your equipment is installed. If your application requires modifications or a reinspection, expect an additional 2–4 weeks. Related: You may also need a Building Permit if your grease trap installation involves structural changes.
Denver does not charge a separate government filing fee for grease trap/interceptor permits — the cost is $0 per the Denver DPHAE fee schedule. However, you will incur costs for the grease trap equipment itself, professional installation, and any required inspections or plan reviews; contact the Denver DPHAE directly to confirm whether plan review or expedited inspection services carry additional fees. Not legal advice — verify current fees with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.
No — grease trap permits are location-specific and tied to the restaurant's physical address and plumbing configuration. If you relocate, you must submit a new grease trap/interceptor permit application for your new address and comply with that location's plumbing and drainage requirements. Contact the Denver DPHAE to confirm whether any existing permit documentation can support your application at the new site. You will also need to obtain a new City Business License/Registration for your new Denver location.
Grease trap permits in Denver do not require annual renewal; however, you must maintain your grease trap system in compliance with Denver Health Code requirements and keep maintenance records (typically pump-outs every 1–3 months depending on usage). Your permit remains valid as long as your restaurant operates at that location and the equipment meets code standards — contact the Denver DPHAE if you have questions about ongoing compliance obligations. Any modifications to your grease trap system require prior approval and may require an amended permit.
A Denver DPHAE inspector will verify that your grease trap is properly sized for your restaurant's flow rate, installed according to code (typically per Denver Plumbing Code and International Plumbing Code standards), and equipped with required access points and baffles. The inspector will also confirm that the trap is connected to your sink, dishwasher, and other grease-producing fixtures, and that it drains into the city sewer system or approved disposal method. If deficiencies are found, you will receive a written report and must correct them within a specified timeframe before final approval — contact the DPHAE to schedule a reinspection.
Yes — Denver requires grease traps for all food service establishments that discharge grease-laden wastewater, regardless of size, per the Denver Health Code and Plumbing Code. Even small restaurants, food trucks, or catering operations must install and permit a grease interceptor unless they meet narrow exemptions (e.g., certain food prep operations that produce no grease discharge) — contact the Denver DPHAE to determine whether your specific operation qualifies for an exemption. Related: You may also need a Certificate of Occupancy and other health permits before opening; check with DPHAE for your complete requirements.
Operating without a required grease trap permit exposes your restaurant to daily fines, closure orders, and liability for environmental damage to the city's sewer system — contact the Denver DPHAE for current penalty amounts, as violations typically result in cease-and-desist orders. Your insurance may also deny coverage for environmental claims if an unpermitted grease system causes damage, and you may face additional costs for system remediation. Not legal advice — verify current penalties and compliance requirements with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.
About This Data
This guide is generated from ApronPrep's compliance dossier system, which uses 53 parallel AI authority experts to discover requirements, then downloads actual forms and generates field-level intelligence for each one.
For Colorado specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Aurora, Colorado Springs, Denver), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 31 form fields analyzed for this requirement. Fee data is sourced from actual county department fee schedules, not estimates.
Our data is verified against official government sources and updated when regulatory changes are detected. If you find an error, please report it — accuracy is our core commitment.
Sources
- Local sewer use regulations, water connection requirements, road/sidewalk ordinances, grease discharge limits
- Aurora — Department of Public Works (DPW)
- Colorado Springs — Department of Public Works (DPW)
- Denver — Department of Public Works (DPW)
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