myleadsafe › States
Lead-safe rules for rentals, by state
Short answer: Every US rental built before 1978 falls under the federal lead disclosure rule. On top of that, these states make landlords inspect, certify or register older units on a schedule. Many cities add their own rules; see city programs.
- DelawarePre-1978: certificate before new leases, renewed every 4 years; starts by March 2028
- MarylandPre-1978: register every 2 years by Dec 31, inspect before each new tenant
- MassachusettsPre-1978: tenant form at every lease; delead when a child under 6 lives there
- New HampshireNo routine certificate; needed for units converted to rentals since July 2024
- New JerseyPre-1978: inspection at tenant turnover and every 3 years, run by each town
- New YorkPre-1980, 2+ units in 25 cities: register, certificate every 3 years
- Rhode IslandPre-1978: lead certificate every 2 years; every rental registers by Oct 1
- VermontPre-1978: yearly inspection and cleaning, compliance statement every 365 days
Cities with their own programs
- Cleveland, OhioPre-1978: certificate every 2 years from a risk assessment; register by March 1
- Detroit, MichiganRegistration and a Certificate of Compliance with a lead check; 3, then 5 years
- New York City, New YorkPre-1960: annual notice, child-under-6 checks, turnover work, one-time XRF test
- Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPre-1978: lead-safe (4 years) or lead-free certificate, tied to the rental license
- Rochester, New YorkPre-1980: lead check at each C of O; every 3 years in the High-Risk Area
- Toledo, OhioPre-1978, 1–4 units: 5-year certificate, deadlines by census tract
- Washington, D.C.Pre-1978: DC disclosure form at every lease; clearance when a child under 6 or pregnant person lives there
Not listed? Your state may still have rules that kick in when a child is found with lead poisoning, and your city may have a rental inspection program. Ask your city’s housing or health department.
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