Free guide · kitchen exhaust cleaning
How often must a commercial kitchen hood be cleaned?
The NFPA 96 and International Fire Code inspection schedule in one table, the grease depth that triggers a cleaning, what records and tags the code asks for, and four places that license hood cleaners. Plus a free next-service calculator and a printable service record.
The inspection schedule
Both codes set the minimum interval for inspecting the whole exhaust system for grease buildup. Inspection results decide whether it gets cleaned.
| Type or volume of cooking | NFPA 96 (2024), Table 12.4 | IFC 2021, Table 607.3.3.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Solid fuel cooking (wood, charcoal) | Monthly | 1 month |
| High volume: 24-hour cooking, charbroiling, wok cooking | Quarterly | 3 months |
| Moderate volume (most restaurants) | Semiannually | 6 months (“all other cooking operations”) |
| Low volume: churches and places of worship, day camps, seasonal businesses, senior centers | Annually | 12 months |
When is the next service due?
Pick the cooking type and the last service date. This uses the code minimums above; your AHJ or a dirty system can call for sooner.
When does a hood have to be cleaned?
When the inspection finds grease. Under the IFC, if hoods, grease-removal devices, fans, ducts or other parts have an accumulation of grease, they “shall be cleaned in accordance with ANSI/IKECA C10” (Section 607.3.3.2). NFPA 96 gives a measurable trigger: place a grease depth gauge comb on the surface, and clean when it reads 0.078 in. (2,000 µm) on a surface or 0.125 in. (3,175 µm) in a fan housing.
Records and tags the fire code asks for
Records (IFC 2021, 607.3.3.3)
After every inspection, record the individual and company that did it, a description of the inspection, and when it happened. After every cleaning, record the individual and company and when it happened. Records must be completed after each visit and kept.
Tags (IFC 2021, 607.3.3.3.1)
When the hood or duct system is inspected, leave a tag in a conspicuous location with the service provider’s name, address, phone number and date of service. Cover or remove older tags.
Reports to the owner
Several jurisdictions go further. Utah requires a completion and deficiency report for the owner, and Portland requires the label to list any areas not cleaned and the owner to keep reports on site.
Licensing examples: four places with their own rules
Not every state licenses hood cleaners. These four publish specific requirements, checked October 17, 2026. Elsewhere, ask your state fire marshal and the city fire department.
| Where | Agency | What it requires (summary) | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | Department of Fire Services / State Fire Marshal | Anyone who cleans or inspects commercial cooking exhaust systems needs a State Fire Marshal certificate of competency. Type 1 (unrestricted, for contractors) requires at least 500 hours of experience; Type 2 is only for owners cleaning their own systems. Since January 1, 2018, hood cleaning companies also need a certificate of registration (Form FP-026A, $60, good for 2 years, one per business location). Labels follow 527 CMR 1.00: 50.5.6.13, and a certificate holder who finds an out-of-compliance system must notify the local fire department within 48 hours. Boston adds its own city registration. | Mass.gov: hood cleaning licenses Mass.gov: hood cleaning inspections |
| Utah | Office of the State Fire Marshal | Kitchen exhaust inspection and cleaning companies must be licensed by the State Fire Marshal under Utah Admin. Code R710-7, and each technician needs a certificate of registration (written exam on NFPA 96 and R710-7; $30 exam plus $40 annual certificate). Contractors must give the owner a completion and deficiency report. The service label has a set format: 5.5 by 4.5 inches, any color except red, with the company’s license number, the technician’s registration number, the service date punched in, and the next service due. | Utah SFM: kitchen exhaust duct cleaning Utah SFM service label sample (PDF) |
| Nevada | State Fire Marshal Division | Cleaning Type 1 hood and duct systems needs a State Fire Marshal license for the firm (with a stick-on label approved under NAC 477.790) and a certificate of registration for each technician, who must pass an exam with at least 75%. Uncertified employees may help only while a certified person is on site supervising and fills out the certificate. The firm also needs a local business license where it works. | NAC 477.770 NAC 477.300 |
| Portland, Oregon (city) | Portland Fire & Rescue | Anyone who cleans commercial hood and ventilation systems in Portland, contractor or in-house, needs a Fire Marshal Certificate of Fitness (Title 31, 31.20.110). Policy FIR-8.08 calls for inspection at least every 6 months (infrequent cooking, such as a lodge or church, can be extended to at most 2 years), cleaning to bare metal, and a label in the kitchen showing the date, the company and the technician’s certificate number, and any areas not cleaned. The owner keeps reports on site for the Fire Marshal. | Portland FIR-8.08 |
Free printable hood service record
One sheet per visit. It covers the IFC record and tag fields plus the details owners and fire marshals usually ask for. Add your state’s license fields.
Kitchen exhaust inspection / cleaning record
| Restaurant / site name and address | |
|---|---|
| Date and time of service | |
| Service type: inspection, cleaning, or both | |
| Company name, address and phone | |
| Technician name and license / certificate number | |
| Cooking type and schedule used (monthly / quarterly / semiannual / annual) | |
| Components inspected: hood, filters, plenum, ducts, access panels, fan | |
| Grease depth readings and where measured | |
| Components cleaned (to bare metal?) | |
| Areas NOT cleaned or inaccessible, and why | |
| Deficiencies found (e.g. missing access panels, fan hinge, damaged filters) | |
| Before / after photos taken (Y/N) | |
| Next service due | |
| Tag / label applied on hood, old tag removed (Y/N) | |
| Owner or manager signature, copy given (Y/N) |
Template by Orvian Market. Free to copy and use. Not legal advice; your jurisdiction’s rules are what count.
Doing this in an app instead
Hood cleaning apps fill in the record, take photos, track grease readings and schedule the next visit from the cooking type. Free options exist: Stampario’s free plan covers 5 reports a month and HoodStamp lists 3 free certificates a month. Paid all-in-ones such as MyHoodClean ($49.99/mo) also schedule and invoice. See the hood cleaning software comparison for prices and sources.
FAQ
How often does a restaurant hood have to be cleaned?
The codes schedule inspections, and cleaning happens when an inspection finds grease buildup. NFPA 96 (2024 edition, Table 12.4) sets the inspection schedule at monthly for solid fuel cooking, quarterly for high-volume cooking (24-hour, charbroiling, wok), semiannually for moderate volume, and annually for low volume (churches, day camps, seasonal businesses, senior centers). The International Fire Code uses the same intervals. In practice, a busy kitchen ends up cleaned on roughly that schedule.
How much grease is too much?
NFPA 96 uses a depth gauge comb. Surfaces with 0.078 in. (2,000 µm) of grease, or a fan housing with 0.125 in. (3,175 µm), must be cleaned. That’s the wording in NFPA’s published revision report for the next edition, linked below.
Who decides which category my kitchen is in?
Your Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), usually the local fire marshal. The IFC lets the fire code official approve a different interval, and some cities, like Portland, publish their own policy. Ask your fire department if you’re unsure.
What has to go on the hood sticker?
Under IFC 2021 Section 607.3.3.3.1, the tag must show the service provider’s name, address, phone number and the date of service, in a conspicuous spot, with older tags covered or removed. Some states prescribe the label in detail. Utah, for example, specifies its size, color and contents.
Do I need a license to clean hoods?
It depends on where you work. Massachusetts, Utah and Nevada require state licensing, and Portland, Oregon requires a city certificate. Many states have no hood-specific license, and the work is governed by the local fire code instead. Check with your state fire marshal and your city.
Is this legal advice?
No. It’s a plain-English summary of NFPA 96, the International Fire Code and the official pages linked here, checked October 17, 2026. Your jurisdiction may adopt a different edition or add rules, and the official text is what counts.