Lead paint disclosure in Ohio

The federal rule on lead disclosure covers most housing built before 1978. It applies whether you're buying a home or renting one.

Sellers and landlords have 4 duties under the rule:

• Tell you about any lead paint or lead hazards they're aware of.
• Share whatever records or reports on lead they hold for the home.
• Provide the EPA lead pamphlet.
• Put a Lead Warning Statement into the contract or lease.

Buyers get 10 days to check the home for lead.

Ohio sellers give buyers the state's Residential Property Disclosure Form, required by Ohio Revised Code 5302.30. It describes the conditions the owner is actually aware of. It's a statement of what the owner knows, not a promise about the home's condition, and it's no substitute for a professional inspection.

The form in use now started in June 2022. Section H asks if the owner knows about any lead-based paint on the property now or in the past, and the owner picks Yes, No, or Unknown. The form also advises buyers to check for hazards like lead pipes on their own.

A No or Unknown answer reflects only what's in the owner's head. It's no guarantee that no lead is present anywhere in the home.

A large share of Ohio's housing is old enough for lead paint. US Census figures show how many homes were built before 1980.

Cleveland passed a law requiring lead safe certificates for rentals in 2019. The idea is to test rentals for lead hazards before a child gets poisoned, not once harm is done. Most rentals have used 2-year certificates so far.

On October 12, 2026, Cleveland's mayor proposed changes to the law. They haven't been passed yet, so the current rules still apply. They would:

• Create 3-, 5-, and 10-year certificate options for rentals that get upgrades like new windows, doors, or porches.
• Skip pre-1978 homes where testing finds no lead paint.
• Let tenants claim retaliation as a defense, meaning legal protection if a landlord punishes them for speaking up about lead.

In Toledo, a rental with 1 to 4 units built before 1978 must carry a valid Lead-Safe Certificate before it can be rented out or rented out again. To get the certificate, a local lead inspector checks the home in what's called a clearance exam.

In Ohio, people who inspect for lead, assess lead risk, or handle lead clearance get their license from the state health department. Earning it means completing training and a state exam through the department's Lead Licensure and Accreditation Program. When you hire someone to test a home, it's fair to ask whether they're licensed.

Ohio law calls for blood lead testing of every child on Medicaid. High-risk children age 6 and under must be tested too. That covers kids in high-risk ZIP codes and kids living in pre-1978 homes undergoing renovation.

The Ohio Department of Health treats a child as an elevated case at 3.5 micrograms per deciliter or higher. Ohio began using this number in 2023, after the national reference value came down from 5.

Owners can be handed a lead hazard control order, an official command to fix lead hazards. Refusing to comply means the property has to be emptied out and is ruled unsafe for anyone to live in. The state also adds it to a statewide list of hazardous properties the Ohio Department of Health keeps.

Ohio gives property owners a state income tax credit toward qualifying lead abatement expenses on an eligible home. Abatement is work that gets rid of lead hazards. From July 1, 2025 on, the credit tops out at $40,000 for each taxpayer and each home.