Frequently Asked Questions About Lead-Based Paint Repair and Renovation in NC
For questions about the Asbestos and Lead-Based Paint Reimbursement Program for eligible schools and child care facilities, visit Frequently Asked Questions about NC - ARPA Reimbursement.
General
Learn about lead-based paint exposure and your health.
More resources:
- Contact the Health Hazards Control Unit: 919-707-5950
- Lead Information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Renovation activities are the activities relative to lead-based paint renovations including the use of recognized lead test kits, information distribution, work practices such as cleaning verification and dust clearance sampling, as well as the activities performed by a certified firm, certified renovator, or certified dust sampling technician.
A renovation is broadly defined as any activity performed for compensation that disturbs painted surfaces and includes most repair, remodeling, and maintenance activities, including window replacement and demolition of painted surface areas.
Any child-occupied facilities (i.e., pre-school, day-care, etc.) and housing constructed prior to 1978 with some exceptions.
Yes. Firms that offer, perform, or claim to perform renovation activities for compensation in North Carolina in homes or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be a North Carolina certified renovation firm.
Find or look up an NC-certified renovation firm
(A certified renovation firm means a company, partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, association, or other business entity or individual doing business in the State, or a federal, State, tribal, or local government agency or a nonprofit organization that has been certified by the North Carolina Health Hazards Control Unit to perform renovation activities.) Source: NC General Statute §130A-453.22
No. Owner-occupied do-it-yourself renovations are not required to be done by certified firms or certified renovators. However, if you decide to hire someone to perform an applicable renovation, they must be a North Carolina certified lead renovation firm with a North Carolina certified renovator and trained workers.
Find NC-certified professionals
If you should perform a “do-it-yourself” renovation project, we recommend that you do so following lead-safe work practices and properly dispose of the renovation waste. Contact the Health Hazards Control Unit at 919-707-5950 for more information or guidance.
A North Carolina certified renovation firm with a North Carolina certified renovator and trained workers assigned to the project.
The regulation applies if the school building was built before 1978, it is occupied by children under the age of 6, and if applicable renovation activities are being conducted.
Firms performing renovations in North Carolina must provide the owner or adult occupant (if the owner does not occupy the dwelling unit) a copy of the EPA pamphlet “The Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right” (PDF) prior to conducting the renovation.
In addition, if lead paint testing of the components affected by the renovation is done by a certified renovator using an EPA recognized test kit, the results of the testing are required to be provided in writing to the person contracting for the renovation activity before work begins.
Certification and Training
Ask to see these documents:
- North Carolina certified renovators have been issued a certification letter by the Health Hazards Control Unit.
- North Carolina dust sampling technicians are issued a photo identification card by the Health Hazards Control Unit indicating their dates of certification.
- All North Carolina certified renovation firms have been issued a renovation firm letter and certificate by the Health Hazards Control Unit (HHCU).
The DST must be certified by the North Carolina Lead Hazard Management Program for Renovation, Repair and Painting (LHMP-RRP) and must be employed by a North Carolina certified renovation firm.
No. North Carolina LHMP certified firms, which are certified for activities such as abatement, inspections and risk assessments, do not need to be renovation-certified to make written determination of the presence of lead-based paint for a renovation project.
No.
No. Individuals wishing to be a North Carolina certified DST must have taken an accredited (8 hour) initial DST course. Contact the Health Hazards Control Unit for a listing of training providers offering DST courses or visit our training page for more information.
No. Individuals wishing to receive initial North Carolina renovator certification must have successfully completed an accredited (8 hour) initial renovator training course. Contact the Health Hazards Control Unit for a listing of training providers offering the renovator courses or visit our training page for more information.
No. Individuals must successfully complete an accredited discipline specific training course that meets North Carolina certification purposes as required by the LHMP-RRP rules, and they must submit a completed North Carolina application for DST or renovator certification. Applications for DST or renovator certification must include a copy of the applicable training course certificate issued by the training provider and a color photograph (passport style) of the applicant.
In order to become certified, all applicants for North Carolina certification as a DST and/or renovator must include a North Carolina certified lead renovation firm on their application. Follow each application’s instructions closely to avoid problems or delays in the certification process.
Submit a completed North Carolina application for renovation firm certification to the HHCU.
Contact the HHCU at 919-707-5950 or visit our permits and applications page.
No. You may submit both applications (i.e., renovation firm and renovator) together even though you will not yet have a renovation firm certification number to put on your renovator certification application. After a firm becomes certified, firms submitting for renovation firm certification on an annual basis must include their previously assigned renovation firm number (i.e., RRP2125) on the application.
No. The HHCU must have the original application. A fax or copy is not acceptable. Follow each application’s instructions closely to avoid problems or delays in the certification process.
Yes.
Yes. All training providers and their courses taught in North Carolina after July 31, 2010, are required to have North Carolina accreditation and all instructors must be approved by North Carolina, in order to be acceptable for certification purposes in North Carolina.
Contact the HHCU at 919-707-5950.