Landlords & Owner Responsibilities
Rental properties built before 1978 must obtain a Lead Safe Certification or an Exemption. Owner-occupied properties do not need to be certified.
In 2019, Cleveland City Council passed legislation that requires owners of rental property in the City to prove that their dwelling units are safe from lead hazards. This proof is in the form of a Lead Safe Certification OR an abatement of all lead hazards
As the owner of a rental unit in the City of Cleveland, you are responsible for ensuring your property is free from lead hazards and applying for a Lead Safe Certification.
Owner-occupied properties do not need to be certified.
Maintaining a Healthy Lead Safe Home
Ensure that your property is well maintained
Look over your property carefully and address any areas of peeling paint, chipped paint, paint dust, and areas of exposed bare soil. Address any issues causing peeling paint like a leaking roof or other water intrusion. This would be a perfect time to replace friction surfaces like windows, doors and porch floors. Many grants are available to help cover some of the cost of these improvements. This is an important first step in ensuring that your home is safe for your tenants.
What to Know Before You Get Started
Applicable for rental properties only. If the owner lives in one unit of a multi‑unit property, that unit is exempt.
To complete your Lead Safe Certification application, you will need the following information:
- Rental Registration Number. You can search for this on the Permit Portal
- Parcel # and Year Built (properties built after 1978 do not require certification). To find your parcel # and year built: Cuyahoga County MyPlace
- Email address of property owner and risk assessor
- Inspection Types:
- Risk Assessment (2 year inspection)
- Lead Inspection Risk Assessment and Paint Inspection (LIRA is a 20 exemption inspection)
- Clearance Inspection occurs when a Risk Assessment was conducted and abatement work was performed
- Risk Assessment Report and any supporting documentation. This could be photos, auditor information, cleared Lead Hazard Control Ordinance from the Health Department.
- The contractor name and Lead Firm Certification # is required if the property was cleaned or remediated before the inspection.
Lead Safe Certification Process
A Lead Safe Certification confirms your property meets Cleveland’s health and safety standards. This quick guide outlines the six steps you’ll follow—from preparing your home to submitting your final documents—so you know exactly what to expect.
Keep your property well-maintained before, between, and after inspections.
Options to improve the lead safety, value, and energy conservation of your rental property include:
- Replacing old painted wood windows with new vinyl windows.
- Covering up old painted porch floors and steps with artificial turf, area rugs, or rubber stair treads.
- Ensuring that painted wood doors do not rub against the door frame.
- Touching up and chipped or peeling paint with a new coat of paint.
- Do not forget the garage, basement, and exterior foundation - all which could be future sources of lead poisoning.
Make sure your property is registered with the City of Cleveland as a non-owner-occupied property. All of the requirements for registering a property can be found on our Rental Registration web page.
To register your property, go to the Permit Portal.
- Login > Building & Housing > Permits and Registrations
- Obtain a Rental Registration number. You'll need this to obtain a Lead Safe Certificate.
- Submit your Lead Safe Certificate LSC# to bhrental@clevelandohio.gov in order to finalize your Rental Registration.
Finding a lead safe worker is similar to finding a professional for other needs. The Ohio Department of Health maintains the licensure of lead workers in the state. See this list of Licensed Service Providers.
Locally, two resources exist to assist you through the Lead Safe Certification process:
- The City of Cleveland's lead team, which also includes a dedicated 1-3 family rental unit that can provide assistance and
- The Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, which administers various incentive programs and maintains a list of vetted professionals that have been trained to support you through the Lead Safe Certification process. Contact the Lead Safe Resource Center today at (833) 601-5323.
Hiring a Lead Professional:
- Costs: Inspections start at $350 and vary by assessor and type of assessment
- Time: Average assessment starts at about 90 minutes for a 2-year certification inspection
- Search the Ohio Department of Health database for a licensed professional
- 2-year Lead Risk Assessment inspection (sample assessments to come)
- 20-year Lead Inspection and Risk (LIRA) inspection
Review the assessment of the property closely. This outlines your next steps toward a certification or 20-year exemption.
The application is now online and should be submitted through the Permit Portal along with supporting documentation.
If the assessment demonstrates that lead hazards were not identified, a Lead Safe Certificate will be issued. If a Lead Risk Assessment report verifies the unit has been abated of lead hazards, the City will issue an exemption to the lead-safe certification requirements. If lead hazards are identified, the City will set a schedule to remediate those lead hazards.
IF PROPERTY IS LEAD SAFE OR ABATED
- 2-year Lead Risk Assessment (LRA) certification or 20-year exemption is issued
- Submit your Lead Safe Certificate and a W-9 form.
To see if the Cleveland Lead Safe Coalition has funds available for reimbursement visit the Lead Safe Resource Center
IF A LEAD HAZARD IS FOUND
- Review Lead Hazards Identified table of the Risk Assessment
- Submit your plan to remediate the lead hazards within 90 days of submission
See the table below for timelines and options. Additional time may be granted with progress shown in 90 days. - City Risk Assessment Teams work with you to execute a plan for a remediation
- After remediation work is completed, the certified risk assessor submits the Lead Clearance showing the property has passed.
- A Lead Safe Certificate is issued
Sample of Lead Hazards Identified
This table is an example of a table demonstrating identified lead hazards and the options for controlling those hazards to receive a Lead Safe Certificate is below. Please note that the renovation and ongoing maintenance of a property including keeping paint in good condition can and should be done regularly to maintain the unit.
This chart shows an example of the steps involved in addressing lead hazards. It is not a complete list.
| LEAD HAZARD (SIDE/COMPONENT) | LONG-TERM CONTROL OPTION(S) | TEMPORARY CONTROL OPTION(S0 |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Window Casings Sides A,B,C,D | Encapsulation | Friction Impact Surface No Temporary Control |
| Door Casing Sides A | Removal/Replacement | Encapsulation |
| Front Porch Floor Side A | Removal/Replacement | Friction Impact Surface No Temporary Control |
| Front Porch Balusters Sides A,B,D | Removal/Replacement | Paint Stabilization |
| Front Porch Railings Sides A,B,D | Encapsulation | Friction Impact Surface No Temporary Control |
| Living Room Door Jamb Wall A | Removal/Replacement; Enclosure; Encapsulation | Friction Impact Surface No Temporary Control |
| Living Room Window Jamb Wall C | Removal/Replacement; Enclosure; Encapsulation | Friction Impact Surface No Temporary Control |
Left column: Location of the lead hazard
- This column tells you where the lead hazard was found.
- You might see a room name, such as “living room,” or an exterior side of the home, labeled A, B, C, or D.
- Look for a diagram of your home in your lead risk assessment to identify which side is being referenced.
Middle column: Long-Term Control Option
- This column describes the work needed to reach the 20-year abatement standard.
- Options may include removal/replacement, encapsulation, or enclosure. Your risk assessor or contractor can explain which option is appropriate for your home.
- For example, removal/replacement could mean replacing an old window with a new vinyl window. Encapsulation means applying a special coating to seal lead-based paint beneath a protective barrier.
Right column: Temporary Control Option
- This column describes the work needed to meet the lead-safe standard without completing a long-term control option.
- One common option is paint film stabilization, which involves safely addressing loose or peeling paint, preparing the surface, and priming and repainting it.
- Important: Federal requirements do not allow temporary controls for certain lead hazards on friction or impact surfaces. These hazards require a long-term control option instead.
- A friction surface is a part of the home where surfaces rub together, such as a window that opens and closes.
- An impact surface is a surface that may be repeatedly struck or hit. For example, a porch floor may be subject to impact from people walking on it
FAQs
Rental property owners with units built before 1978 must obtain a Lead Safe Certification or an exemption.
- Owner-occupied properties do not need to be certified
The Lead Safe Certification is valid for two years, after which rental property owners must re-apply for certification.
Units can receive a 20-year exemption from Lead Safe Certification requirements if the unit has been abated of all lead hazards and a Lead Risk Assessment (LIRA) is completed and shows no hazards.
While lead abatement (removal or 20-year encapsulation of lead hazards) is encouraged where economically feasible, it is not required to receive a Lead Safe Certificate. Interim controls may be the recommended control option by a risk assessor. Interim controls, such as re-painting peeling painted friction surfaces is permissible as part of the preparation for a risk assessment.
There is no application fee to apply for the Lead Safe Certification.
You can search the Permit Portal. No account is required.
It's easiest to search by a parcel number. See the How to use the Citizen Access Portal page for guidance.
In 2019 Cleveland City Council passed legislation that requires owners of rental property in the City to prove that their dwelling units are safe from lead hazards.
The goal of this program is to reduce lead poisoning in children in the City of Cleveland by ensuring the housing stock is free of Lead.
