Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule

Home improvement contractors and building maintenance professionals who perform work for compensation that disturbs lead-based paint or presumed lead-based paint in homes or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must comply with the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule.  The RRP Rule is designed to help protect you, your customers, and building occupants from the dangers of lead.  

The RRP rule has four main requirements for any construction or maintenance professional working on the covered pre-1978 buildings:

1. Training and Certification—Any individual or business paid to perform work that disturbs lead-based paint or presumed lead-based paint in housing or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be certified.  This includes all firms, even sole proprietorships.  Each job in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities must be assigned to a certified renovator who is trained in lead-safe work practices by an EPA- or an authorized state-accredited training provider.  All other workers must also be trained by an accredited training provider or on-the-job by a certified renovator.  Learn more about these requirements and how to comply here.  

2. Education/Notification—Under the RRP Rule, firms performing renovations for compensation in homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 are required to distribute EPA's Renovate Right pamphlet to the owner and occupants before starting renovation work.  Learn more about these requirements and find links to the materials you must distribute here.  

3. Lead-Safe Work Practices— Work Practices Requirements ensure that the dangerous lead chips and lead-containing dust generated by your work do not contaminate living and other areas where they can cause damage to human health, especially children.  Lead-safe work practices include ensuring the work area is contained to prevent dust and debris from leaving the work area, prohibiting certain work practices like open-flame burning or power tools without HEPA exhaust control, and thorough clean up followed by a verification to minimize exposure to lead-based paint hazards.  Learn more about the required work practices here. 

4. Recordkeeping—You must keep copies of the certified renovator's training certificates at the job site and you are required to keep records of your proper implementation of the RRP rule for each job on pre-1978 buildings for three years following job completion.  Learn more about the records that must be kept and find sample forms to help ensure proper recordkeeping here.
   

What activities are covered by the regulations?

The rule applies to renovation, repair and painting activities done for compensation that disturb lead-based paint or presumed lead-based paint in homes or child-occupied facilities built before 1978.  You must assume that all paint being disturbed is lead-based paint and follow the RRP Rule requirements unless you have properly tested the paint and found it does not contain lead.  See the Recordkeeping section for instructions on paint testing.   Generally, the RRP Rule does not apply to minor maintenance or repair activities affecting less than six square feet of lead-based paint in a room or less than 20 square feet of lead-based paint on the exterior.  However, regardless of the area disturbed no prohibited work practices can be used, and window replacement and demolition are always covered regardless of square footage.

What are the benefits of the RRP Rule?

The purpose of the RRP rule is to minimize exposure from lead-based paint dust caused by renovation, repair, or painting activities.  The RRP Rule reduces the risk of lead poisoning for children caused by housing contaminated by renovation activities and also minimizes harm to older children and adults from lead-based paint dust exposure.  Following the RRP Rule requirements helps protect your business, your customers, and the Planet!

Additional Resources

Contractor resources.  US EPA information for lead renovation firms provide information on your legal requirements and to protect yourself, your employees, and your clients from the dangers of lead exposure.  This material includes safe work practices and printable brochures (English and Spanish) for distribution to your customers.

EPA's main RRP page. Provides links to proposed and final rule, compliance assistance documents and other resources.

Locate Accredited Renovation Training Programs. This locator identifies lead renovation, repair and painting (RRP) trainers accredited by EPA. EPA runs the lead RRP program in most areas. Please note that fourteen states and one tribe are authorized by EPA to administer their own RRP programs:

• Alabama
• Delaware
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Utah
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Bois Forte Tribe

Small Entity Compliance Guide to Renovate Right: EPA's Lead-based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program. Protect yourself and your customers. Learn how to renovate homes and buildings that have lead-based paint without creating hazards that harm human health—especially children's health—or the environment. This guide will show you how—it explains techniques and requirements in an easy-to-understand way. Do it right! Protect yourself, your business, your customers, and the Planet! Also available in Spanish.

RRP Frequently Asked Questions and the Lead Paint Helpline. Find EPA answers to your Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP) questions.  If you have additional questions about RRP and cannot find your answers on the webpage, call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323).  You can speak to an operator in English or Spanish.

Lead Paint Abatement State Resource Locator. The purpose of this on-line tool is to provide quick access to state rules relating to lead/construction issues.

Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Childcare Providers, and Schools. General information about legal requirements for safe lead practices for homeowners, tenants, childcare providers and parents during renovation activities.  September 2011 revised version.  Available in different formats in English and Spanish.

Materials and Downloads for Training Providers Related to Renovation, Repair and Painting.  Links to many key publications in English and Spanish, as well as other training-related materials.