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Detroit rental lead rules: the Certificate of Compliance (2026)

Short answer: Every Detroit rental must be registered and hold a Certificate of Compliance before you can collect rent. For homes built before 1978, the inspection includes a lead check for deteriorated paint and bare soil. The separate lead clearance was dropped on May 1, 2025; it’s now one inspection. The first certificate lasts 3 years, and renewing on time earns 5 years. A 1-unit inspection is $195 plus a $20 fee ($225 + $20 for a duplex).
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Who it covers

Every rental property in Detroit must be registered and hold a Certificate of Compliance before it can be occupied or rent can be collected. For homes built before 1978, the inspection includes a lead-safety check for deteriorated paint and bare soil.

How long it lasts

First Certificate of Compliance: 3 years. Renewed before it expires: 5 years. Registration doesn’t expire unless ownership or use changes.

What it costs

$195 (1 unit) or $225 (duplex) plus a $20 processing fee; first re-inspection free.

If you don’t comply

Owners may not let a unit be occupied, or collect rent, without a valid Certificate of Compliance. The 2024 overhaul raised each violation ticket by $150 (cut by up to 50% if the property comes into compliance), lets unpaid tickets become a lien collected through the property tax bill, and requires more frequent inspections for repeat violators. A 2021 amendment allows fines up to $2,500 and possible misdemeanor charges if a child tests positive for elevated blood lead and the landlord is out of compliance.

What you need and when

What you needWhenCost
Rental Certificate of Compliance (with lead-safety check)
The first certificate lasts 3 years. Renewing before it expires earns a 5-year certificate. One 15-point inspection by a city-approved firm (1–2 units) or BSEED (3+ units); item 15 is 'no deteriorated paint or bare soil.' Since early 2025 the lead check is visual only: the state health department told the city it cannot take dust wipes outside a full risk assessment. If a child in the rental is lead-poisoned, the city orders a full lead inspection/risk assessment at the owner's cost.		every 3 years$195 inspection for a 1-unit home, $225 for a duplex, plus a $20 processing fee; first re-inspection free; 3+ units: ask BSEED
Rental registration
Register each property in the city's online permit system (eLAPS/Accela). Since January 2022, registrations do not expire unless ownership or use changes.		--

Not covered

Certificate types

How to get inspected

1–2 units: a city-approved third-party inspection company, assigned after you pay BSEED. 3+ units: BSEED inspectors (313-628-2451). Repairs to damaged paint should follow lead-safe work rules (EPA RRP-certified renovator).

Typical cost: $195 (1 unit) or $225 (duplex) plus $20 (City of Detroit fee schedule, Aug 2025) (source). More in what a lead inspection costs.

Fees

What to give tenants

The federal lead disclosure rule applies on top of this for nearly every rental built before 1978. What it requires.

Where to register or file

BSEED rental registration and Certificate of Compliance (eLAPS/Accela); public Rental Compliance Map: online portal; upload passed third-party inspection reports

Evictions and rent

Tenants of a unit without a Certificate of Compliance can pay rent into the city's escrow program. Funds go to the landlord if the unit comes into compliance and back to the tenant if not. The ordinance text bars collecting rent without a valid certificate but does not allow evicting existing tenants for that unpaid rent. They can still be evicted for other, non-retaliatory reasons.

Where sources disagree: The task brief described the pre-2025 system. From 2010 to April 2025, pre-1978 rentals needed a separate lead inspection/risk assessment plus a lead clearance before a Certificate of Compliance: yearly with interim controls under the 2010 rules, then every 3 years after the 2021 amendments, with a 7-year certificate for full abatement. detroitmi.gov and detroitmi.gov. The Oct 2024 ordinance replaced this with one inspection and a 3/5-year certificate. It originally required dust wipes in high-risk ZIP codes (25% of the city), but after a Jan 17, 2025 objection from Michigan's health department, the city does visual-only checks. planetdetroit.org. A Nov 2024 amendment requested by Council Member Santiago-Romero would make every area 'high-risk' (dust wipes) from Jan 1, 2031; its adoption and any state law change allowing dust wipes were not confirmed.

Keep every certificate on time

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Questions landlords ask

Does Detroit still require a lead clearance for rentals?

Not as a separate step since May 2025. The single rental inspection now checks pre-1978 homes for chipping or peeling paint and bare soil. A full lead inspection is ordered only if a child in the home is lead-poisoned.

How long is a Detroit Certificate of Compliance good for?

The first one lasts 3 years. If you renew before it expires, the next one lasts 5 years.

How much does a Detroit rental inspection cost?

$195 for a single-family home or $225 for a duplex, plus a $20 processing fee. The first re-inspection is free.

Can I collect rent without a Certificate of Compliance in Detroit?

No. Tenants can pay rent into the city's escrow program until the unit passes, and unpaid violation tickets can become a lien on the property.

What fails a Detroit rental inspection for lead?

Any deteriorated paint (chipping, peeling, chalking) or bare soil. The city presumes paint in pre-1978 homes contains lead, so repairs should use lead-safe work practices.

Last checked November 6, 2026. Law: Detroit City Code Chapter 8, Article XV, Division 3 (Requirements for Rental Property), §§ 8-15-81 and 8-15-82; rental ordinance overhaul approved by City Council Oct 29, 2024, with the new inspection program in full effect May 1, 2025. Agency: Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED), Property Maintenance Division.

This page sums up published rules as of November 6, 2026. It is not legal advice, and myleadsafe is not a government site. Rules and fees change, and local offices add their own steps, so confirm with the city before you rely on a date or a fee.

Sources (7)