The lead-safe inspection, start to finish
August 6, 2026A lead-safe inspection in Hudson County is a visual assessment of painted surfaces by a NJ DOH-certified inspector, about 30–60 minutes per unit. Intact paint passes; peeling, chipping, or chalking paint on friction and impact surfaces fails. A passing unit gets a certificate valid two years, filed with your municipality.
The five things landlords ask
Room by room: windows, doors, trim, stair rails, radiators. What the inspector writes down and why. The process, step by step →
The method is set per municipality by the DCA. Hudson County towns confirmed so far are visual. When dust wipes enter the picture anyway. Compare the methods →
A 10-point checklist: access, paint touch-ups, windows, common areas. Most failures are preventable a week out. The checklist →
Interim controls vs. abatement, what re-inspection looks like, and who pays for what. No panic required. Failed: what next →
Two years vs. forever. When the more expensive XRF test is actually the cheaper decision. The comparison →
Per-unit ranges, portfolio pricing, state and local fees. Cost breakdown →
The short version
If your paint is intact, you will pass. The inspector is not looking for lead itself (that is the lead-free XRF test); a visual inspection looks for deteriorated paint, the thing that actually poisons children. Fix peeling paint before the visit, make every room accessible, and the whole thing is one short appointment followed by a two-year certificate.
Who inspects: a NJ DOH-certified inspector (N.J.A.C. 8:62) working for a DCA-licensed lead evaluation contractor, or the municipal program where one exists. When you book through this site, an independent licensed contractor performs and files everything.
Address, unit count, last certificate date. Inspection within 48 hours.