New Jersey Lead Law Update (FAQ Series): Does A Complete Renovation (Removal Of All Walls, Floors and Windows Replaced) Make The Property Exempt If It Was Built Prior To 1978?

We are regularly receiving questions regarding the new Lead Law and have created a weekly “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ’s) forum for you as you desire to become more informed of the Lead Law and its complexity.

This week we are featuring a common question:  

Question: Does a complete renovation (removal of all walls, floors and windows replaced) make the property exempt if it was built prior to 1978?

Answer: No; even if the property was gutted and reconstructed, the State of New Jersey is requiring the landlord to get the lead safe/lead free certification because beams and certain parts of the home could still have lead.    

*Important note to landlords/real estate agents:

Just because a municipality has not yet communicated about the NJ Lead Based Paint Law, and/or is not conducting these inspections, as per the State law, a lead-safe certificate is still required for ALL residential rental properties.

As such, it is the responsibility of the landlord to hire an outside NJ Certified Risk Assessor (like Lead Testing Services LLC) to complete the lead test prior to tenant turnover (either a new tenant or lease renewal) or by no later than July 22, 2024.

We hope this information is useful/of interest to you and appreciate your continued business.