An EPA-certified lead paint inspector is a professional licensed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to identify lead-based paint using an XRF analyzer and issue reports that satisfy federal and New York City requirements. In NYC, Local Law 31 requires that this inspection be performed by a third party an inspector independent of the building owner and of any firm hired to do the remediation work.
Manhattan Lead Inspections is an EPA-certified firm providing independent lead paint inspections across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
Certified lead paint inspectors
The Local Law 31 compliance deadline was August 9, 2025. If your building was covered and you did not complete XRF testing of all dwelling units and common areas by that date, your building is currently non-compliant.
What that means in practice:
If you’re not sure whether your building was covered, or whether inspections done before 2021 still count, call us. We’ll tell you in a five-minute phone call, at no charge.
Certified lead paint inspectors
The older your house, the greater the chance that it contains lead-based paint. For instance, almost 87% of houses built before 1940 contain some level of lead-based paint, while 24% of houses built from 1960 onwards still have lead-based paint present.
The presence of lead-based paint in any house is a concern, especially if children are living there. That’s why the EPA has enforced certain regulations to ensure the safety of people on such premises.
As per these regulations, all buildings built before 1978 need to be checked for the presence of lead-based paint. If you own a house in Manhattan built before 1978, it is required to hire an EPA certified lead paint inspector in NYC to make sure your home is not in violation of lead-based paint.
EPA-approved lead paint testing
“Local Law” in New York City refers to a law passed by the New York City Council that applies only within the five boroughs of New York City. It is different from a New York State law, which applies throughout the entire state. Local laws are authorized under New York’s Municipal Home Rule Law and become effective after they are adopted and filed with the New York State Department of State.
We Inspect All Kinds of Surfaces for Lead Testing
We test every painted surface required for compliance, using a handheld XRF analyzer. No paint removal, no drilling, no damage.
Trusted lead paint professionals
You should hire an EPA-certified lead paint inspector for NYC homes when;
If your child is prone to lead poisoning. Lead-based paint and lead dust are common home-based sources that when inhaled can result in lead poisoning.
If you're renovating or remodeling your home and need to ensure that no lead-based paint is used during the construction period before 1978.
Any building which dates back to 1978 will require complete inspection and it must take place within 5 years of the effective date of the law latest by August 9, 2025.
You're planning to rent or purchase a house and government regulations stipulate that your property has to be tested for lead.
If you are an employee of a daycare center and need to be certain that no lead-based paint is poisoning the air for you.
You need a total care package for the safety of your pets, family members & visitors.
Affordable lead paint inspections
| Lead Inspector | Risk Assessor | |
|---|---|---|
| Determines whether lead-based paint is present | Yes | Yes |
| Evaluates whether existing lead is a hazard (deteriorated paint, dust, soil) | No | Yes |
| Recommends specific control or abatement options | No | Yes |
| Sufficient for Local Law 31 XRF testing | Yes | Yes |
| Typically needed when a child has an elevated blood lead level | — | Yes |
For straightforward Local Law 31 compliance testing, a certified inspector is sufficient. If you have a child with an elevated blood lead level, an open HPD violation, or deteriorated paint you already know about, a risk assessment is the more useful document.
Affordable lead paint inspections
At Manhattan Lead Inspections, our EPA-certified lead inspector in NYC has the experience and knowledge to accurately assess your property for lead-based paint.
Our team of experts will conduct a thorough inspection of your property and provide you with reliable and accurate results that include testing for lead-based paint, and other detailed analyses.
We also provide follow-up services including lead abatement, repair, and clean-up to ensure that your property complies with the latest regulations and standards for lead-based paint poisoning.
Affordable lead paint inspections
Local Law 31 of 2020 applies to:
Two clarifications that come up constantly:
1978 is not the New York City threshold. 1978 is the year the federal government banned lead paint in residential use. New York City’s testing requirement uses 1960 as its primary line, because pre-1960 buildings carry dramatically higher risk. If your building went up in 1972 and you have no knowledge of lead paint, LL31’s testing mandate likely does not reach you — but Local Law 1 obligations and turnover requirements may still apply. Confirm before assuming.
Common areas count. Local Law 111 of 2023 extended the testing requirement to hallways, lobbies, and stairwells. An inspection covering only apartments is incomplete.
Older test results may not hold up. Local Law 66 lowered the definition of lead-based paint from 1.0 mg/cm² to 0.5 mg/cm², effective December 1, 2021. Testing performed under the older threshold may not reflect what’s actually reportable today. Send us the report and we’ll tell you whether it still stands — no charge.
Knowledgeable lead paint professionals
FAQ'S
No. Local Law 31 requires the inspection be conducted by a third party independent of both the owner and any firm hired to perform remediation. If the same company inspects and remediates, HPD may reject the inspection.
An inspector determines whether lead-based paint is present. A risk assessor does that and also evaluates whether it currently presents a hazard, and recommends specific controls. Either satisfies Local Law 31 testing; a risk assessment is more useful if you have deteriorated paint, an open violation, or a child with an elevated blood lead level.
The obligation didn’t go away. Testing now is how you stop the exposure from growing and put yourself in a position to respond when HPD requests records. Non-compliance is a Class “C” hazardous violation carrying civil penalties, and since August 2025 HPD can demand your records immediately upon issuing a violation.
Possibly not. Local Law 66 lowered the lead-based paint threshold from 1.0 to 0.5 mg/cm² effective December 1, 2021, and Local Law 111 of 2023 added common areas. Send us the report — we’ll tell you at no charge whether it still meets the current standard.
No. NYC requires XRF testing performed by a certified inspector. Hardware-store swab kits and visual inspections are not compliant and will not be accepted by HPD.
No. XRF is non-destructive. The analyzer reads through paint layers without removing anything. Nothing is scraped, drilled, or sanded.
Yes — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island.