How much does a lead inspection cost in Hudson County?
Nov 42026
A lead-safe visual inspection in Hudson County, New Jersey runs $125–200 per unit at market rates, plus a $20 state certificate fee and, in some towns but not all, a municipal fee on top: $200 per unit in Jersey City (city fee schedule § 160-1), $125 to $200 by bedroom count in Hoboken, $200 to $250 plus a $25 filing fee in Bayonne (the City's contractor letter and its ordinance differ). Five of the twelve Hudson County municipalities publish no local lead fee at all, and Union City folds the $20 into its own charge instead of adding it, so check your municipality before you budget. Where a local fee exists it is cost recovery by rule: a town may charge only what its inspection program costs and cannot spend it on anything else (N.J.A.C. 5:28A-2.2), which is why the number changes from town to town. The $20 certificate fee is set by the state, so it is identical everywhere in New Jersey; everything above it is local and that is where the spread comes from. Multi-unit buildings and portfolios get per-unit discounts. For comparison, a missed deadline costs up to $1,000 per week in fines.
Pricing by portfolio size
| Units | Typical range per unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 unit | $150–200 | Single visit, certificate filed for you |
| 2–4 units | $145–180 | Same building, same visit |
| 5–20 units | $140–165 | Scheduled block, one invoice |
| 20+ units (bulk) | $125–150 | Portfolio pricing, 48-hour SLA, COI on request |
Checked September 2026 against published price lists in the county: contractors advertising rates for Hudson County visual inspections run $145 to $180 per unit, and the low end sits at $125 where the contractor includes the lab fee. Dust-wipe sampling and XRF surveys are separate, more expensive services and are not in this table.
Ranges reflect the NJ market before a partner price sheet is in place; final quotes come from the licensed contractor by phone. No number on this page is a binding offer.
What the price includes
Not included: the $20 state fee, any municipal fee your town charges, dust-wipe lab work if the inspector finds a reason to add it, and any remediation if the unit fails. Local fees by municipality →
The municipal route is often cheaper
Seven Hudson County towns run their own inspection program and publish what it costs. In most of them the municipal visit undercuts the private market rate, because by rule a town may only recover what the program costs it. The trade-off is scheduling: you take the town's queue instead of a private contractor's next opening.
| Municipality | Municipal fee per unit | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Guttenberg | $50 + $20 state | § 13-13 |
| Kearny | $120 + $20 filing | § 15-5.9 |
| Union City | $120 up to 4 units, $220 above; state fee included | § 273-8 |
| Hoboken | $125 to $200 by bedroom count + $20 state | § 125-15 |
| Jersey City | $200 non-refundable + $20 state | § 160-1 |
| Bayonne | $200–250 (letter / ordinance) + $25 city filing + $20 state | § 17-33.2g |
| Harrison | $250 + $25 filing + $20 state | Ord. 1514 |
Two towns reward bringing your own inspector: in Hoboken (§ 125-15E) and Kearny (§ 15-5.9) the municipal inspection fee does not apply when you hire a DCA-certified contractor yourself, leaving only the $20 state fee. The other five municipalities publish no inspection fee of their own. That does not always mean there is none: North Bergen runs its program through a contractor without posting a rate, so ask before you assume. In Secaucus the reason is different again: the town repealed its lead chapter in May 2026, leaving the $20 state fee as the only fixed charge.
Inspection vs. doing nothing
One inspection for a typical single unit. Done in under an hour, certificate good for 3 years.
Fines after the 30-day cure period expires, accruing weekly until the unit is certified. Penalty details
Short answers
How much does a lead paint inspection cost in New Jersey?
In Hudson County, New Jersey, a lead-safe visual inspection costs $125–200 per unit at market rates, plus the $20 state fee for every unit inspected. Seven Hudson County towns publish a municipal fee, from $50 per unit in Guttenberg to $250 plus a $25 filing fee in Bayonne and Harrison. The $20 is set by statute (P.L.2021, c.182, as amended by P.L.2024, c.74, § 1 h.); everything above it is market price or a local fee set to cover the town's program cost (N.J.A.C. 5:28A-2.2).
Who pays for a lead paint inspection, the landlord or the tenant?
The landlord pays: New Jersey's lead-safe law tells the municipality to charge the inspection fee to "the dwelling owner or landlord," plus the $20 state fee. The owner also pays to fix any lead-based paint hazard the inspection finds (P.L.2021, c.182, as amended by P.L.2024, c.74, § 1 b., d.(1) and h.; N.J.A.C. 5:28A-2.2(a) and 2.4(c)). In a condominium, the fee is the unit owner's responsibility, not the association's, unless the association owns the unit (N.J.A.C. 5:28A-2.2(c)).
Can a landlord charge the tenant for the lead inspection?
New Jersey's lead-safe law does not provide for it: the statute and the state's lead-safe rules bill the inspection fee to the owner or landlord and create no tenant charge. Neither text expressly forbids shifting the cost through rent or a lease clause either, so that question falls to other landlord-tenant law, not to the lead-safe rules. Get legal advice before adding a lead-inspection charge to a tenant's bill (P.L.2021, c.182, as amended by P.L.2024, c.74, § 1 b.(1)-(2); N.J.A.C. 5:28A-2.2).
Cost questions
Yes, certificates are issued per unit. Same-visit pricing brings the per-unit cost down; see the table above.
Usually, because samples go to a lab. In Hudson County the required method is visual; dust wipes come in only at the inspector's discretion or after a failed visual.
You fix the hazard (often targeted paint stabilization, not full abatement) and re-inspect. Remediation costs vary too widely to quote here; get the specifics on the phone.
Address, unit count, last certificate date. Quote on the call, inspection within 48 hours.