NYC Lead Safety Rules Explained: What Every Property Owner Must Know
NYC has multiple overlapping lead safety rules that can confuse property owners. In simple terms, they all say the same thing: if your building is old, you must check for lead paint and fix any problems. Here's what each rule requires.
The original NYC lead paint law. Requires: owners of pre-1960 buildings to maintain painted surfaces, immediate repair of deteriorated paint in units with children under six, presumption of lead paint in pre-1960 buildings, and safe work practices for any paint repair.
The stricter, newer law. Adds: mandatory XRF testing during turnovers and on inspection cycles, annual visual inspections in units with children under six, 10-year documentation retention, and specific Community District inspection deadlines.
Federal regulation requiring: EPA-certified contractors for any work disturbing paint in pre-1978 buildings, specific containment and cleaning procedures, worker training and certification, and proper waste disposal.
HPD enforces these rules through: routine inspections, tenant complaint investigations, child blood lead level follow-ups, and violation issuance with mandatory correction deadlines.
According to DeLead NYC, here's what you need to do: 1) Assume lead paint exists if your building was built before 1978. 2) Get XRF testing to know exactly where. 3) Fix any problems immediately. 4) Keep records of everything. 5) Send annual notices to tenants. That's it. We handle all five steps. Learn about Local Law 31 or get started.
Local Law 1 (2004) — annual inspections and remediation in pre-1960 multi-family with kids under 6. Local Law 31 (2020) — mandatory XRF testing of every unit by Aug 2025. Federal EPA RRP — certified renovators only in pre-1978 buildings. HMC §27-2056 — owner duties and penalty schedule.
Local Law 31 — it requires affirmative XRF testing of every pre-1960 unit, regardless of complaints. Most other rules are reactive (remediate when hazards found). LL31 is the only proactive testing mandate in the U.S. for residential buildings of this scale.