The lead-safe inspection, start to finish
Nov 42026
A 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 three 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 →
Three 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 →
Short answers
What is a lead-safe certificate in NJ, and how do I get one?
A New Jersey lead-safe certificate is the form issued when a rental unit's lead-based paint inspection finds no hazards, and it stays valid for three years from issuance. A DCA-certified contractor or the municipal agency issues it. To get one, book your town's inspection or hire a certified contractor directly, fix any hazard found, and pay the $20 state fee per unit; a private contractor files a copy with the town (P.L.2021, c.182, as amended by P.L.2024, c.74, § 1 b.(3), d. and h.; N.J.A.C. 5:28A-2.4(a)2).
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 three-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.
Choosing who performs it? The state publishes the official roster: how to verify a certified lead evaluation contractor on the NJ DCA list before you book.
Address, unit count, last certificate date. Inspection within 48 hours.