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NYC lead paint rules for landlords: Local Law 1 and Local Law 31

Short answer: For rentals in buildings built before 1960 (or 1960–1977 if you know there’s lead paint): send the annual lead notice between January 1 and 16, check every unit where a child under 6 lives at least once a year, do lead work and an independent dust clearance before each new tenant, and get every unit and common area XRF-tested (the Local Law 31 deadline was August 9, 2025). Keep records 10 years. The state lead rental registry does not apply in NYC.
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Who it covers

Rental units in buildings built before 1960, or 1960-1977 if the owner knows there is lead paint. This covers apartment buildings with 3+ units and tenant-occupied units in 1-2 family homes, plus rented co-op and condo units.

How long it lasts

Annual notice and child-under-6 checks: every year. XRF test: once. An HPD Lead-Free Exemption (0.5 mg/cm²) has no expiry unless revoked.

What it costs

No city filing fee for routine compliance. XRF testing and dust clearance are paid to an independent EPA-certified inspector; HPD publishes no price.

If you don’t comply

Missing the XRF test: Class C violation, $1,500 per unit or common area. Turnover violations: $250 per day up to $10,000 (orders 614, 621, 622, 625) or up to $1,500 (order 623). Not producing records within 45 days of an HPD Record Production Order: Class C violation, $1,000-$5,000. Other record violations run $250/day up to $10,000, and one (619) can be a misdemeanor. If owners don't fix hazards, HPD does the work and bills the property.

What you need and when

What you needWhenCost
Annual lead notice to tenants
Deliver between Jan 1 and Jan 16, in English and Spanish, two copies of each. Tenants return by Feb 15. If no reply, try to inspect the unit Feb 16-Mar 1 to learn if a child under 6 lives there, and notify the Health Department in writing if you can't find out. 'Resides' means a child under 6 spends 10+ hours a week there.		renew every year by January 16; every year-
Annual visual check where a child under 6 lives
Visual check of every painted surface in every room and the common areas, at least once a year and after any complaint. Give the tenant a copy of the results. Fix peeling paint with EPA-certified firms and safe work practices.		every year; only when: a child under 6 lives here (10+ hours a week)Owner can do it; no license required (HUD visual assessment course recommended)
Turnover lead work + lease notice
Before each new tenant: fix peeling paint and its causes, make floors, sills and window wells smooth and cleanable, remove or permanently cover lead paint on door and window friction surfaces. An independent third party must do a dust clearance test after any such work. Give the Lease/Commencement of Occupancy notice and HPD pamphlet, certifying the turnover work was done (also at lease renewal). If the unit was never XRF-tested, test it while vacant.		before each new tenant moves in-
One-time XRF lead paint test (Local Law 31)
Every rental unit and common area had to be tested by Aug 9, 2025, or within 1 year after a child under 6 moves in if sooner. Testing must be done by an EPA-certified inspector or risk assessor who is not the owner, their agent or the repair contractor. Keep records 10 years. Units not yet tested because of no access: try again every year and test at the next vacancy.		first deadline was August 9, 2025Private EPA-certified inspector; no official price
Friction-surface abatement in child-under-6 units
This is a work deadline, not a test (Local Law 123 of 2023). Where a child under 6 lived in the unit on Jan 1, 2025, turnover-level work (friction surfaces on doors and windows, smooth and cleanable surfaces) is due by July 1, 2027. If the child moved in later, it is due within 3 years, even if the paint is intact.		when a child under 6 lives in the unit; first deadline July 1, 2027-

Not covered

Certificate types

How to get inspected

XRF testing and dust clearance tests: an EPA-certified lead inspector or risk assessor independent of the owner and the repair contractor. Annual visual checks: the owner or staff. Repairs: EPA RRP-certified firms; abatement work needs EPA abatement-certified firms.

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

No lead registry. Lead-Free Exemptions and Affidavits of Turnover go through HPD's Lead Exemption Online Portal (LEOP).: None for routine compliance; keep records 10 years and produce them to HPD within 45 days on audit

Where sources disagree: Annual notice window: HPD says Jan 1-16 (nyc.gov); NYC311 says Jan 1-15, included with the January rent bill if issued before Jan 1 (portal.311.nyc.gov). HPD governs, so the record uses Jan 1-16. Return date: HPD owner pages say Feb 15, while the HPD tenant section says Feb 16; the record uses Feb 15. The NY State Lead Rental Registry does not apply in NYC (PHL §1377 excludes cities of 1 million+).

Keep every certificate on time

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Questions landlords ask

When do I have to send the NYC lead paint annual notice?

Between January 1 and January 16 each year, in English and Spanish, two copies of each. Tenants return it by February 15. If a tenant doesn't reply, try to inspect between February 16 and March 1 and tell the Health Department in writing if you can't find out.

Does Local Law 1 apply to my 2-family house?

Yes, if it was built before 1960 and a tenant (not you or your family) lives in a unit. Notices, child-under-6 checks, turnover work and XRF testing all apply to the rented unit.

I missed the August 9, 2025 Local Law 31 deadline. What now?

Get every rental unit and common area XRF-tested by an independent EPA-certified inspector as soon as possible. Missing it can bring a Class C violation of $1,500 per unit. If a tenant won't give access, keep proof of your attempts, try every year, and test at the next vacancy.

What lead work is required when a tenant moves out in NYC?

Before the next tenant: fix peeling paint, make floors and sills smooth and cleanable, and remove or cover lead paint on door and window friction surfaces, using certified firms. An independent firm must do a dust clearance test afterward. Then give the new tenant the lease lead notice certifying the work.

How do I stop doing annual lead notices?

Get the unit XRF-tested. If it's lead-free (or after abatement), apply for an HPD Lead-Free Exemption at the 0.5 mg/cm² standard through the Lead Exemption Online Portal. Exempt units don't need annual notices or investigations.

How long must NYC landlords keep lead records?

At least 10 years: notices, tenant replies, visual checks, turnover work, clearance tests and XRF reports. HPD can demand them within 45 days, and missing records can mean $1,000-$5,000 violations.

Last checked November 6, 2026. Law: NYC Admin. Code Title 27, Ch. 2, Art. 14 (§27-2056.1 et seq., Local Law 1 of 2004 as amended by LL 66/2019, LL 31/2020, LL 111, 122, 123, 127 of 2023); 28 RCNY Chapter 11. Agency: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD); NYC Health Department (DOHMH) for child lead cases.

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 (11)