Jump to main content.

Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP)

Web site banner with words 'New E.P.A. Rule: All Contractors Need to get Lead-Safe Certified, Find an Accredited Trainer Near You' plus images of circular saw, hammer, and lead-safe certified firm logo

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
Lead-Safe Renovation, Repairs and Painting

Contractors Must Be
Lead-Safe Certified

e.p.a. lead-safe certified firm logo

NOTE: Due to heavy demand, users may experience search delays. EPA regrets the delays and is working to improve the system.

-- How to become Lead-Safe Certified

-- Accredited training providers near you

-- Certified firms near you

-- Find out about EPA-recognized test kits

-- Find out if your state is operating the certification program instead of EPA

-- Answers to your questions, submit questions; printer friendly version (PDF) (73 pp, 229K, about PDF)

Compliance for Contractors,
New Rules

July 6, 2010 -- A rule that takes effect today will increase protections against lead-paint poisoning by eliminating the ability of owner-occupants of older housing to "opt-out" of having their contractors follow lead-safe work practices. Read the press release.

Renovation firms and workers have additional time to obtain necessary training and certifications to comply with its new lead rules, EPA announced June 18, 2010. Read the enforcement guidance (PDF) (2 pp, 476K) and a set of frequent questions (PDF) (3 pp, 31K).

Lead Poisoning
Awareness Campaign

April 20, 2010 -- EPA joined with the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Ad Council to sponsor a public service announcement advertising campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of lead poisoning to children. The ads, in English and Spanish, urge viewers to visit the campaign Website and hotline 1-800-424-LEAD to learn more. Read the press release.

Lead-Safe Training

As of August 26, 2010, EPA has accredited 332 training providers who have conducted more than 20,122 courses, training an estimated 455,000 people in the construction and remodeling industries to use lead-safe work practices. Learn more.

Lead-Safe Certified
Media Campaign

image of circular saw

Outreach to Contractors

image of little girl

Outreach to Consumers

On this page you will find:

EPA Requirements

Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children.

To protect against this risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, beginning April 22, 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

EPA requires that firms performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities and schools be certified by EPA and that they use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers to follow lead-safe work practices. Individuals can become certified renovators by taking an eight-hour training course from an EPA-approved training provider. Learn how to become an EPA certified firm and where to take a training course near you.

Beginning in December 2008, the rule requires that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint provide to owners and occupants of child care facilities and to parents and guardians of children under age six that attend child care facilities built prior to 1978 the lead hazard information pamphlet Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools (PDF) (11 pp, 1.1MB). | en español (PDF) (11 pp, 2.4MB)

The rule affects paid renovators who work in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities, including:

Under the rule, child-occupied facilities are defined as residential, public or commercial buildings where children under age six are present on a regular basis. The requirements apply to renovation, repair or painting activities. The rule does not apply to minor maintenance or repair activities where less than six square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed in a room or where less then 20 square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed on the exterior. Window replacement is not minor maintenance or repair.

Previously, owner-occupants of homes built before 1978 could certify that no child six years of age or younger or pregnant woman was living in the home and "opt-out" of having their contractors follow lead-safe work practices in their homes. On April 23, 2010, to better prevent against lead paint poisoning, EPA issued a final rule to apply lead-safe work practices (PDF) (18 pp, 121K) to most pre-1978 homes, effectively closing the exemption. The rule eliminating the opt-out provision became effective July 6, 2010.

Read EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule.

View the implementation deadlines associated with the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule.

EPA Authorized State Programs

EPA has the authority to authorize states, tribes and territories to administer their own RRP program that would operate in lieu of the EPA regulations. When a state, tribe or territory becomes authorized, contractors and training providers working in these areas and consumers living there should contact the appropriate state, tribal or territorial program office. Currently the following states have been authorized by EPA (note: in following these links you will be leaving the EPA Web site Exit EPA Disclaimer): Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Mississippi, Kansas, Rhode Island, Utah, Oregon and Massachusetts.

Information for States and Tribes

EPA headquarters has developed guidance documents to assist states and tribes that are applying to EPA for authorization to manage their own lead renovation, repair and painting programs (PDF) (122 pp, 257K).

Information for Property Owners of Rental Housing, Child-Occupied Facilities

Property owners who renovate, repair, or prepare surfaces for painting in pre-1978 rental housing or space rented by child-care facilities must, before beginning work, provide tenants with a copy of EPA's lead hazard information pamphlet Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools (PDF) (11 pp, 1.1MB) | en español (PDF) (11 pp, 2.4MB). Owners of these rental properties must document compliance with this requirement; EPA's sample pre-renovation disclosure form (PDF) (1 pp, 53K) may be used for this purpose.

After April 22, 2010, property owners who perform these projects in pre-1978 rental housing or space rented by child-care facilities must be certified and must follow the lead-safe work practices required by EPA's Renovation, Repair and Remodeling rule. To become certified, property owners must submit an application for firm certification (PDF) (9 pp, 642K) and fee payment to EPA. EPA began processing applications on October 22, 2009. The Agency has up to 90 days after receiving a complete request for certification to approve or disapprove the application.

Property owners who perform renovation, repairs, and painting jobs in rental property should also:

Top of Page

Information for Homeowners Working at Home

If you are a homeowner performing renovation, repair, or painting work in your own home, EPA's RRP rule does not cover your project. However, you have the ultimate responsibility for the safety of your family or children in your care. If you are living in a pre-1978 home and planning to do painting or repairs, please read a copy of EPA's Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools (PDF) lead hazard information pamphlet (11 pp, 1.1MB). | en español (PDF) (11 pp, 2.4MB). You may also want to call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) and ask for more information on how to work safely in a home with lead-based paint.

Top of Page

Information for Tenants and Families of Children under Age 6 in Child Care Facilities and Schools

As a tenant or a parent or guardian of children in a child care facility or school, you should know your rights when a renovation job is performed in your home, or in the child care facility or school that your child attends.

Information for Contractors

As a contractor, you play an important role in helping to prevent lead exposure. Ordinary renovation and maintenance activities can create dust that contains lead. By following the lead-safe work practices, you can prevent lead hazards.

Contractors who perform renovation, repairs, and painting jobs in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities must, before beginning work, provide owners, tenants, and child-care facilities with a copy of EPA's lead hazard information pamphlet Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools (PDF) (11 pp, 1.1MB) | en español (PDF) (11 pp, 2.4MB). Contractors must document compliance with this requirement; EPA's pre-renovation disclosure form (PDF) (1 pp, 53K) may be used for this purpose.

Understand that after April 22, 2010, federal law requires you to be certified and to use lead-safe work practices. To become certified, renovation contractors must submit an application and fee payment to EPA.

EPA began processing applications on October 22, 2009. The Agency has up to 90 days after receiving a complete request for certification to approve or disapprove the application.

Contractors who perform renovation, repairs, and painting jobs should also:

NOTE: Contractors and training providers working in Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Mississippi, Kansas, Rhode Island, Utah, Oregon and Massachusetts must contact the state to find out more about its training and certification requirements. These states are authorized to administer their own RRP programs in lieu of the federal program. In following the above links you will leave the EPA Web site. Exit EPA Disclaimer

Contractors should also read the EPA Enforcement Alert newsletter titled Compliance with New Federal Lead-Based Paint Requirements (PDF) (4 pp, 120K).

Top of Page

Fee Rule

On March 20, 2009, EPA issued a final rule to establish fees for the new Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. The rule establishes fees that are charged for training programs seeking accreditation, for firms engaged in renovations seeking certification, and for individuals (for example, risk assessors) or firms engaged in lead-based paint activities seeking certification. The rule applies only in those states and tribes without their own authorized lead programs. The rule also modifies and lowers fees for the Lead-based Paint Activities regulations. The fees were developed as required by section 402 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to recover the cost of administering and enforcing the law's requirements. Read EPA's fact sheet on the final rule.

Top of Page

Information for Training Providers

Training Provider Application and Instructions (PDF) (13 pp, 1.1M) - Training providers applying for accreditation must submit a completed application and fee payment as described in the application instructions. The following list contains key information required in the application:

Instructions for Accredited Training Providers - This document provides EPA accredited renovator and dust sampling technician training providers instructions regarding:

Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule Courses - These courses were developed by the U.S. EPA, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to train renovation, repair, and painting contractors and dust sampling technicians on how to comply with EPA's Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule, and HUD's Lead Safe Housing rule. The Agency will not be developing a model Dust Sampling Technician refresher training at this time.

Cleaning Verification Cards. Trainers can obtain copies of the Cleaning Verification Cards by contacting the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323).

NOTE: Contractors and training providers working in Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Mississippi, Kansas, Rhode Island, Utah, Oregon and Massachusetts must contact the state to find out more about its training and certification requirements. These states are authorized to administer their own RRP programs in lieu of the federal program. In following the above links you will leave the EPA Web site. Exit EPA Disclaimer

Top of Page

Information for Lead Test Kit Vendors

Lead Test Kits - Read about EPA-recognized lead test kits and the Agency's effort to evaluate the effectiveness of lead test kits.

Top of Page

Information for Realtors and Property Management Firms

Realtors and property managers should make themselves aware of the requirements in the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. EPA is working closely with the National Association of Realtors to make realtors and property managers aware of the hazards of lead paint poisoning and ways to prevent it, and the association has developed a series of guidance videos aimed at realtors and property managers:

Top of Page

Read EPA's July 15, 2009, Federal Register notice announcing a final rule to make minor revisions to the Renovation, Repair and Painting Program Rule. Read summary information on the final rule relating to requirements for training providers to submit photos of trainees.

Read other information related to the Renovation, Repair and Painting Program Rule.

Top of Page

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.