Lead Paint in Rental Housing: Landlord & Tenant Rules
Lead paint was banned for homes in 1978, but millions of older rentals still have it. Lead dust from chipping or sanded paint poisons children and harms brains. Federal law requires landlords to disclose lead hazards in homes built before 1978.
- Tenants
- Landlords
- Parents
Why it matters
- Lead exposure harms children's learning, behavior, growth and hearing, and can harm adults and pregnant women. There is no safe level in children's blood.
- The main danger is lead dust from deteriorating paint, doors and windows that rub, and renovation. Children swallow it from floors, hands and toys.
- See Lead & Asbestos in Older Homes and Lead.
What landlords must do (federal)
- Disclose known lead-based paint and hazards in rental housing built before 1978, and give tenants any available records and reports, before the lease starts.
- Give tenants the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home.
- Include a warning statement and a signed acknowledgment in the lease.
- Keep the records for three years.
- Some housing (such as certain 0-bedroom units, housing for the elderly with no children, and some short-term rentals) is exempt.
- Federally assisted housing has extra rules for inspection and repair.
Renovations and repairs
- The EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule requires certified lead-safe firms and renovators for paid work that disturbs lead paint in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities. See EPA Lead RRP Rule and Lead-Safe Renovators.
- Landlords doing repairs themselves still must use safe work practices: contain dust, no dry sanding or open flame burning, wet clean and HEPA vacuum.
- Local and state laws may require inspections, lead-safe certificates or repairs at turnover. Check yours.
What tenants can do
- Ask for the lead disclosure and pamphlet, and read them
- Report peeling, chipping paint and rubbing windows in writing. See Tenant Safety Rights
- Wet-mop floors and wipe window sills often; wash children's hands and toys
- Do not sand, scrape or burn paint yourself
- Ask your child's doctor about a blood lead test, especially at ages 1 and 2
- If a child has high lead levels, ask your health department about inspection and help
- Contact the EPA lead hotline (1-800-424-LEAD) or local housing agency if the landlord does not respond
Standards & references
Last updated: