LEAD-SAFE CERTIFICATION
Which lead inspection
does your town require?
New Jersey’s Lead-Safe Certification law (P.L. 2021, c.182) makes every pre-1978 rental unit get inspected at tenant turnover or at least every three years. Each municipality is assigned one of two methods: a visual assessment, or dust-wipe sampling. Find your town below.
Visual assessment · an inspector checks every painted surface in the unit for deterioration. most towns
Dust-wipe sampling · wipe samples from floors and window sills go to an accredited lab. Required where the town has a higher share of children with elevated blood lead levels. about 50 towns
Source: NJ DCA municipal lead-safe method assignments.
Who needs it
- Rental units built before 1978, at every tenant turnover or at least every three years, whichever comes first.
- Exempt: buildings built in 1978 or later, units certified lead-free, seasonal rentals occupied less than six months a year, and owner-occupied units.
- The owner keeps the certificate, files it with the town, and gives a copy to the tenant.
What we do
Smart Choice Inspections is certified for New Jersey lead inspections. We perform the method your town assigns, issue the lead-safe certificate when the unit passes, and explain exactly what to correct when it doesn’t. Visual certificates are $200 per building (1 to 4 units); dust-wipe sampling is $300 for the first unit and $200 for each additional unit.