Philadelphia Lead Paint Compliance Guide

Philadelphia landlords use two related compliance tracks for older rental housing:

Philadelphia requires lead certification for covered rental properties.
Federal law requires lead-paint disclosures for most pre-1978 housing before a lease is signed.

This guide gives you a practical starting point. It does not replace advice from the City, a certified lead professional, or an attorney.

Last official-source review: October 22, 2026
Author: Al Sade, Real Landlording
Review status: Checked against the City of Philadelphia and U.S. EPA sources linked below. A qualified legal or compliance review is still recommended before relying on this guide for a specific property.

Start with the property

Philadelphia says rental properties built before March 1978 must be certified as lead-safe or lead-free. The certification is tied to new or renewed leases and to getting or renewing a rental license.

If the property was built later, the City may still require proof of the construction date through its lead-certification system. Do not assume the exemption is automatic.

Before you order testing, gather:

The property address and unit number.
The year the building was constructed, if known.
Your lease, move-in, or rental-license deadline.
Any prior lead certificates, inspection reports, or laboratory results.
Information about peeling, chipping, damaged, or recently disturbed paint.

Lead-safe and lead-free are different paths

A qualified professional should confirm which path applies to the property.

A lead-safe certification is based on the property's current paint condition and required sampling. It must be renewed according to the City's current validity rules.
A lead-free certification documents that the property meets the City's lead-free standard. The testing and professional qualifications differ from the lead-safe path.

Avoid choosing a service based only on price or a website description. Ask the professional to confirm:

Which certification they are qualified to perform.
What areas of the property are included.
What records they will provide.
Whether laboratory work is required.
What happens if the property does not qualify.
How the timing fits your lease or license deadline.

Who can perform the work

The City directs landlords to use an approved or certified lead professional. Depending on the service, this can include a Pennsylvania-licensed lead inspector or risk assessor or an EPA-certified lead dust sampling technician.

Ask for the professional's current credential and confirm that it covers the service being proposed. Real Landlording can help find a provider, but the provider must confirm the scope and credentials before you hire.

Find Philadelphia lead-testing help

Philadelphia compliance steps

1. Confirm whether the property is covered

Check the construction date and the City's current rental-license and lead-certification guidance. Covered properties generally need lead-safe or lead-free certification for a new or renewed lease and for a new or renewed rental license.

2. Hire the appropriate professional

Share the address, unit count, construction date, deadline, and prior records. Have the professional explain the proposed testing and what they need from you before the appointment.

3. Address visible paint problems safely

Tell the professional about deteriorated or recently disturbed paint. Lead work can create health hazards when handled incorrectly. Do not use this guide as a remediation procedure; follow the instructions of a properly qualified professional.

4. Complete testing and receive the records

The professional should explain the test, any laboratory work, the result, and whether the property qualifies for a certificate. Keep the certificate and supporting records together.

5. Give required documents to the tenant

Philadelphia and federal requirements overlap. Covered landlords may need to provide the current certificate and other lead information before the lease is signed. The federal disclosure rule also requires disclosure of known lead information, available records, an EPA pamphlet, and a Lead Warning Statement for most pre-1978 rentals.

6. Submit the required records to the City

Philadelphia provides an online Lead Certification Submission System for certifications, inspection results, disclosures, and exemptions. Follow the current City instructions for the records that must be uploaded.

7. Track the next action date

Save the certificate, test results, tenant acknowledgments, submission confirmation, and the date when you next need to review or renew them. Check current City rules when a lease or rental-license deadline approaches.

Federal disclosure checklist

For most pre-1978 rentals, EPA guidance says landlords and property managers must complete the federal disclosure process before the tenant signs the lease. This generally includes:

Disclose known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards.
Provide available lead records and reports, including relevant building-wide records.
Give the tenant the current EPA pamphlet, Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home.
Include the required Lead Warning Statement and acknowledgments with the lease.
Keep the signed disclosure records for the required retention period.

The federal disclosure rule and Philadelphia certification law are separate. Completing one does not automatically complete the other.

Practical landlord checklist

Official sources

Important note

This page is educational and is not legal, medical, or environmental advice. Requirements, forms, professional credentials, and deadlines can change. Verify the current rules with the City of Philadelphia, the U.S. EPA, and an appropriately qualified professional for your property.