NFPA 96: what every commercial kitchen owner should know
Kitchen exhaust cleaning isn't optional. Here's the standard your fire marshal and insurer hold you to, in plain English.
NFPA 96 is the national fire-code standard for commercial kitchen ventilation. It governs how grease-laden exhaust systems must be built, maintained, and cleaned. The California State Fire Marshal and local fire authorities enforce it, and insurance carriers use it as the benchmark for coverage after a grease fire.
The core requirement: the entire exhaust system, hood, filters, plenum, ductwork, and rooftop fan, must be cleaned to bare metal by a properly trained and qualified crew, with documentation kept on file.
One detail most people get backwards. The standard sets a required minimum schedule for how often your system must be inspected, based on what you cook. It then requires a full cleaning whenever that inspection finds the system contaminated with grease deposits. So cleaning is driven by the condition of your system, not by the calendar alone, and a kitchen that produces grease quickly can need cleaning considerably more often than its inspection interval suggests.
Getting that judgment right is most of the job, and it is why the company you hire matters. The difference between a system that passes a fire marshal inspection and one that gets written up is usually what happens in the parts of the duct nobody looks at.
Why it matters
- Fire safety. Grease buildup in the duct and fan is the leading cause of commercial kitchen fires.
- Inspections. Fire marshals check for a clean system and current documentation. Failing means fines or forced closure.
- Insurance. After a fire, carriers ask for your cleaning records. No NFPA 96 documentation can mean a denied claim.
Is your hood overdue for a cleaning?
Grease buildup is a fire hazard and a code violation. Here's how to know when it's time, and how often NFPA 96 says you should clean.
Signs your hood needs cleaning
- Grease dripping from the hood or filters onto the cookline
- Smoke lingering in the kitchen instead of pulling out
- A failed or upcoming fire-marshal inspection
- It's been more than 3 to 6 months since your last cleaning
- Insurance or landlord is asking for a compliance record
- Visible grease buildup on the roof around the exhaust fan
NFPA 96 inspection schedule
The fire code sets a required minimum for how often your system must be inspected, based on what you cook.
Inspection sets the minimum. Grease sets the cleaning.
That schedule is how often your system must be inspected. The code requires it to be cleaned whenever that inspection finds grease deposits, which means a kitchen that produces grease fast often needs cleaning more often than its inspection interval. Two restaurants in the same category can land in very different places. Real cleaning schedules run across this ladder:
We set yours off what we actually find in your system, and adjust it as your volume changes.
Inspection intervals per NFPA 96, enforced in California through the California Fire Code. Your local fire authority has final say.
How we set your schedule and keep your records
Compliance is not a one-time cleaning. It is the right interval, done on time, and documented so you can prove it.
We assess your actual grease load
On the first visit we look at what your system is really producing, your menu, your cook line, your volume, and how much buildup is in the duct and fan. That is what determines your schedule, not a guess and not a generic category.
We set an interval that fits your kitchen
We start from the NFPA 96 recommendation for your cook type, then adjust to what we found. Anywhere from monthly to annual, whatever keeps you genuinely compliant without paying for service you do not need.
Every service is documented
A certification sticker goes on every hood system we service, and we leave an After Service Report for your records. We can submit that documentation straight to your property manager, your insurance provider, and your local fire authority for their own record keeping.
We keep notes on your account
We keep a running file on your system: what we cleaned, what we found, access quirks, equipment that is starting to wear, and when you are next due. So the crew shows up already knowing your kitchen, and you never have to track your own compliance calendar.
We tell you when you are due
Our scheduling system flags your kitchen before the interval runs out, and you get a courtesy call weeks ahead to pick a date that works for you. Staying compliant should not depend on you remembering.
Fully covered, and ready for your property manager
Most landlords and property management companies will not let a vendor on the roof without proof of coverage. We already have it, and we send it over before the job.
$2 Million general liability
Full general liability coverage on every job, protecting your building, your equipment, and your business if anything goes wrong on site.
Workers compensation
Our crew is covered by workers comp. If a technician is injured on your property, that is our liability to carry, not yours.
Commercial auto coverage
Our vehicles carry commercial auto liability, which most property managers and landlords require before a vendor can be scheduled.
Need a certificate of insurance? Just ask. We will send a current COI directly to you, your landlord, or your property management company, named exactly how they need it, usually the same day.
Frequently asked questions
How often does my commercial kitchen hood need to be cleaned?
Two different clocks are involved. NFPA 96 sets a minimum inspection schedule based on what you cook: monthly for solid-fuel cooking, quarterly for high-volume kitchens (charbroiling, wok, 24-hour lines), semi-annually for most sit-down restaurants, and annually for low-volume operations. A full cleaning is then required whenever an inspection finds grease deposits in the system. Because cleaning follows the condition of your system rather than the calendar, real schedules run anywhere from monthly to annual. We assess what your kitchen actually produces and set the interval that keeps you compliant without paying for service you do not need.
What is NFPA 96 and why does it matter?
NFPA 96 is the national fire-code standard for commercial kitchen ventilation. Fire marshals and insurers use it as the benchmark for exhaust-system cleaning. Cleaning to NFPA 96 (bare metal, hood through rooftop fan, with documentation) is what keeps you compliant, insurable, and protected from grease fires.
Do you clean the whole system or just the hood?
The whole system. A real NFPA 96 cleaning covers the hood, baffle filters, plenum, the full run of ductwork, and the rooftop exhaust fan, all cleaned to bare metal. Cleaning only the visible hood leaves grease in the duct and fan, which is exactly where fires start.
Will you provide proof and documentation for my inspector and insurance?
Yes. Every job includes dated before/after photos and a compliance report, plus an NFPA 96 service sticker applied on completion. That documentation is what your fire inspector and insurance carrier want to see.
Are you insured, and can you send a certificate of insurance?
Yes to both. We carry $2 million in general liability coverage, plus workers compensation and commercial auto. Most landlords and property management companies require proof of all three before a vendor can work on site, so we send a current certificate of insurance directly to you or your property manager, named exactly how they need it, usually the same day you ask.
How do you keep track of my cleaning schedule and records?
We keep a running file on your account: what we cleaned, what we found, access details, equipment that is showing wear, and when you are next due. Every service comes with dated before and after photos, a written report, and a compliance sticker on the hood. That means our crew arrives already knowing your kitchen, and you always have the documentation an inspector or insurance carrier asks for without having to track it yourself.
Do you work after hours so we don't lose service?
Yes. We schedule around your kitchen, including nights and early mornings, so cleaning happens while you're closed and you open the next day ready to cook.
What areas do you serve?
We serve commercial kitchens across Northern California, from the Sacramento metro and Placer County through the North Valley, North Coast, North Bay, East Bay, and Northern Central Valley. If you're north of Fresno, we most likely cover you.
Ready to pass your next inspection?
Get your commercial kitchen exhaust system cleaned to NFPA 96 standard, documented, and back in service by the time you open. Call, text, or request a free quote.
Overnight service, we work while your kitchen is closed