Lead Safe Certification in Cleveland
Independent risk assessments and clearance exams for pre-1978 rental units.
Performed by an Ohio State Licensed Lead Risk Assessor, documented the same visit, and filed with the city for you.
What the Cleveland Lead Safe Certificate is
Cleveland's lead safe ordinance requires owners of residential rental units built before 1978 to prove the unit is lead safe before it is offered for rent. The proof is a Lead Safe Certificate, issued once a licensed professional has tested the unit and the passing results are filed with the city. It is a condition of renting, not an optional inspection.
The certificate covers the individual dwelling unit and the common areas that serve it, and it runs on a two-year cycle. Owners who intend to hold a property for the long term often move to a comprehensive XRF lead paint inspection instead, which can qualify the property for a 20-year exemption from the two-year cycle.
It must be an independent assessor
The ordinance does not allow the property owner, the owner's agent, an employee, or the building's manager to perform the testing that supports the certificate. The work has to come from an independent licensed professional. We hold Ohio Lead Risk Assessor license LA10160 and have no ownership or management interest in the properties we test, so our results stand on their own.
Lead testing grants may be available
From time to time, grant money is available to cover the cost of a lead risk assessment. These grants are usually for properties being lead tested for the first time and can provide up to $750 per unit. Programs and eligibility can change without notice.
When a qualifying grant is available, we handle all the paperwork and file it with the appropriate agency. In many cases, the grant covers more than the cost of the inspection.
Risk assessment or clearance exam — which one applies
Risk assessment
Use this when you do not yet know the condition of the unit. It is an investigation of paint condition, settled dust, and bare soil, and it produces a written list of hazards with the specific corrective action required for each one.
Clearance exam
Use this after repair, repainting, or renovation work is finished, or to renew a certificate on a unit in good condition. Dust wipes from floors, sills, and troughs are analyzed by an accredited lab and compared against Ohio's hazard thresholds. See our Cleveland lead clearance exam page for the detail.
What the visit involves
- About 30 minutes on site for a typical single unit — we work around tenants and do not need the unit emptied.
- Visual assessment of every painted surface, plus dust wipe sampling of floors, windowsills, and window troughs.
- Bare soil sampling in the yard or play area where the ordinance calls for it.
- Samples logged on site and sent to an accredited laboratory; results back in 24 to 72 hours.
- Report roughly 98% complete before we leave the property, finalized as soon as lab data lands.
What you receive
A full written report with every sample location and result, a plain-language summary of pass or fail, and the documentation set the city expects.
How it is filed
We submit the passing results to the City of Cleveland on your behalf so the certificate is issued against your address without you chasing paperwork.
If a unit fails
You get a specific, location-by-location correction list. Once the work is done we return and re-sample only what needs it.
Frequently asked questions
Get your Cleveland rental certified
Book online in under a minute, or call and we will schedule it for you.