State guide
District of Columbia
The District’s lead-based paint accreditation, certification, and permitting program is run by DOEE as the authorized EPA state program for those lead activities. For pre-1978 rentals, DC has extra lead-disclosure rules, and at change in occupancy certain households must receive a recent clearance report before lease execution.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- State lead program
- The District’s lead-based paint program is run by the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE).
- Rental lead-safe requirements
- DC does not present a general citywide lead-safe certificate registration page, but it does require lead disclosures for pre-1978 rentals and, in certain change-in-occupancy situations, a recent clearance report before lease execution.
- Certified lead inspector and risk assessor lookup
- Official page →
- Renovation (RRP) program
- EPA
- Disclosure
- Beyond federal disclosure, DC requires the Mayor’s lead disclosure form, a DC Tenant Rights form, and in specified pre-1978 at-risk occupancies a clearance report issued within the previous 12 months.
Official resources in District of Columbia
Main District page for lead-based paint certification, permitting, training providers, and certified company lists.
Resident-facing DOEE page with complaint links and official lists of certified consultant companies, inspectors, and risk assessors.
Official DC lead disclosure and risk-reduction law for pre-1978 dwellings.
Explains clearance-report requirements at change in occupancy and which certified professionals may issue them.
Explains District rental-unit registration with DHCD’s Rental Accommodations Division for rental housing business licenses.
Key facts for District of Columbia
- DOEE says its Lead-Based Paint Accreditation, Certification and Permitting Program is the authorized United States Environmental Protection Agency state program under a federal grant to DOEE.
- DOEE’s resident page says it maintains lists of certified consultant companies, inspectors, risk assessors, dust sampling technicians, and other badgeholders.
- DC law requires a pre-1978 owner to provide the Mayor’s lead disclosure form before a tenant is obligated under a lease.
- For pre-1978 units occupied or regularly visited by a person at risk, DC law requires a completed lead disclosure form and a clearance report issued within the previous 12 months.
- DOEE’s FAQ says that before change in occupancy, if the prospective household includes a pregnant individual or child under 6 and gives written notice, the owner must provide a recent clearance report before lease execution.
- DLCP says applicants for a Basic Business License for a Rental Housing Business must register rental units with DHCD’s Rental Accommodations Division.
Local rental lead ordinances in District of Columbia
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOEE Lead in the District - Tenants & Property Owners | Washington | (202) 535-2624 | Resident lead-program page; DOEE also lists compliance, permitting, and certification phone lines there. |
| DOEE Lead-Based Paint Accreditation, Certification and Permitting | Washington | (202) 535-2637 | Program page for lead-professional certification, training providers, and permits. |
| DOEE Compliance and Enforcement | Washington | (202) 535-1934 | Compliance or enforcement contact listed on DOEE’s tenant/property-owner lead page. |
| DOEE Permitting and lead-based paint activity notifications | Washington | 202-654-6003 | Permitting and notification contact listed on DOEE’s tenant/property-owner lead page. |
| DHCD Rental Accommodations Division (RAD) | Washington | (202) 442-9505 | Rental-unit registration office required for rental housing business licensing. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Before leasing a pre-1978 unit, use the DC Lead Disclosure and DC Tenant Rights forms and determine whether a current clearance report is required for the household.
- Use DOEE’s certified-badgeholder or certified-business pages to verify the person or company doing the inspection, risk assessment, or clearance work.
- If you operate rental housing in DC, handle both the lead-law requirements and the separate Rental Accommodations Division registration for the housing business license.
Not seeing your city or county?
Not every city publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from District of Columbia's population center, for comparison only):
- Residential Rental Inspections Program, Virginia · about 7 miles
- City of Annapolis Rental Operations and Property Maintenance, Maryland · about 28 miles
- Maryland Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Maryland · about 35 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.DOEE Lead-Based Paint Accreditation, Certification and Permitting
Website →Phone: (202) 535-2637 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the District of Columbia page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.