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Trenton, NJ lead-safe certificate: fee, inspection and how to apply
Fee in Trenton
City inspection by bedroom count: $350 (1 BR), $400 (2), $450 (3), $500 (4), $600 (5+); $300 re-inspection; $50 filing fee per lead-safe certificate; plus $20 per unit state fee. If you hire your own contractor, the city charges only the $20 state fee (plus filing)
Who inspects
City Municipal Inspector, or a DCA-certified lead evaluation contractor hired by the owner
How to apply
Inspection type
Dust wipe sampling on the state’s 2025–26 list (DCA list). Your town or contractor may still use dust wipes.
County
Mercer County · population 90,871 (2020)
📌 Trenton is a dust wipe town on the state list. Fees were raised February 18, 2025 (Ord. 25-01). Fees must be paid before the inspection, which happens within 15 days of the request; no access counts as a failed inspection. The city code still says certificates last two years; state law now says three.
The state rule Trenton follows
Every rented single-family home, two-family home and apartment in New Jersey built before 1978, in every town, unless an exemption applies. In two- and three-unit buildings the tenant-accessible common areas (halls, stairs, basements, laundry rooms) are inspected too. See the full New Jersey lead-safe certificate guide for exemptions, penalties and what to give tenants.
| What you need | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Lead-safe certificate (inspection) Get an inspection at each tenant turnover unless the unit already has an unexpired certificate, and at least every 3 years counted from the last inspection that produced a certificate. Since September 12, 2024, a new certificate is valid 3 years (it was 2). If hazards are found, the owner must fix them (interim controls or abatement) and pass a re-inspection (dust wipe after interim controls) before a certificate is issued. Many town ordinances and DCA web pages still say 2 years; use the expiration date printed on your certificate. | every 3 years; at each new tenant, if the last one is more than 3 years old; first deadline was July 22, 2025 | Town fee, set locally: among the largest NJ towns, from $40-$75 per unit when bundled with a rental CO inspection up to $600 per unit for a town dust wipe inspection; plus a $20 per unit state fee (Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund) on every inspection, even if you hire your own inspector. Many towns add a $25-$100 filing fee for private certificates. |
| Give new tenant the certificate and tell the town At each tenant turnover, give the new tenant evidence of a valid lead-safe certificate and attach a copy to the lease as an exhibit. State rules also require owners to give the town the certificate at turnover and to report every tenant turnover to the town. Keep a record of each certificate with the names of tenants living there when the inspection was done. | before each new tenant moves in | - |
| Federal lead disclosure with each lease Federal EPA/HUD rule for pre-1978 housing: before a lease, give the 'Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home' pamphlet, disclose known lead paint and reports, include the Lead Warning Statement, and keep signed copies for 3 years. Exempt: leases of 100 days or less, 0-bedroom units, elderly/disabled housing (unless a child under 6 lives there), and certified lead-free housing. | before each new tenant moves in | - |
Keep every certificate on time
myleadsafe is a free binder for small landlords: each unit’s certificates, registrations and due dates, calendar reminders before they run out, and one PDF packet with your proof attached. No sign-up. Your records stay on your device.
Start my free binderQuestions Trenton landlords ask
How much is a lead-safe inspection in Trenton?
City inspection by bedroom count: $350 (1 BR), $400 (2), $450 (3), $500 (4), $600 (5+); $300 re-inspection; $50 filing fee per lead-safe certificate; plus $20 per unit state fee. If you hire your own contractor, the city charges only the $20 state fee (plus filing), per Trenton’s own published fee. State law also adds a $20 per-unit fee for the state Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund unless the unit is certified lead-free. Fees change, so confirm with the town before you pay.
Who does lead inspections in Trenton?
City Municipal Inspector, or a DCA-certified lead evaluation contractor hired by the owner
When does my Trenton rental need an inspection?
Under state law (as amended in September 2024), a pre-1978 rental needed its first lead-safe inspection at the first tenant turnover after July 22, 2022, or by July 22, 2025 at the latest. After that: every 3 years, and at any tenant turnover once the certificate has expired. A turnover while the certificate is still valid needs no new inspection. On the state’s 2025–26 list, Trenton is a dust wipe town.
Does Trenton have its own lead ordinance?
Trenton is a dust wipe town on the state list. Fees were raised February 18, 2025 (Ord. 25-01). Fees must be paid before the inspection, which happens within 15 days of the request; no access counts as a failed inspection. The city code still says certificates last two years; state law now says three.
Last checked November 6, 2026.
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 Trenton before you rely on a date or a fee.
Sources (4)
- ecode360.com · Trenton Code Ch. 132 Art. XVIII secs. 132-131 to 132-138: Municipal Inspector, owner may hire DCA contractor, fee table (amended 2-18-2025 by Ord. 25-01), $50 filing + $20 state fee, 15-day scheduling, two-year certificate
- trentonnj.org · City Division of Housing Inspections page (rental inspections and Certificate of Housing Code Compliance fees)
- P.L.2024, c.74 (S3368) chapter law text · 3-year certificate validity; first inspection within three years of July 22, 2022; common areas in 2-3 unit buildings; two-most-recent-inspections exemption; owner may elect dust wipes; municipal list to DCA and annual DCA report; $20 fee; effective immediately, approved Sept. 12, 2024
- N.J.S.A. 52:27D-437.16 to -437.20 as posted by DCA (current through L.2025, c.152) · Current consolidated statute text incl. 3-year validity, penalties sec. 437.19 ($1,000/week after 30 days), no amendments after c.74 through L.2025 c.152