Philadelphia, PA Lead-Safe or Lead-Free Rules

Local rule signal

What is locally different here

Explicit lease and rental-license trigger workflow with source-backed submission rules.

Official review owner

City of Philadelphia

Last verified Apr 7, 2026. Follow the official workflow first, then use optional help only after the rule path is clear.

Quick answer

See the decision surface first

Does it apply?

Rule is live if the trigger fits

A pre-1978 rental unit needs a current lead-safe or lead-free certificate before a new lease, a lease renewal, or rental-license action.

What must be submitted?

Build the filing package

Current lead-safe or lead-free certificate for the unit.

What blocks progress?

Do not lease through open blockers

No new or renewed lease should be executed without a current lead-safe or lead-free certificate.

What is the next action?

Take the next city action

Confirm whether the unit was built before March 1978.

Need hands-on help?

Get a next-step review

Use this when you want a quick next-step review on the current city file before you submit, lease, or line up outside help.

Jump to help request

Situation switcher

Keep the city. Switch the question.

Stay in Philadelphia, PA and open the question that matches the file.

Timing

Certificate expiring or renewal due

Open the timing path when certificate validity, recertification, or renewal timing is the real question.

Open timing path

Tenant change

New tenant or turnover

Open the turnover path when a move-out, move-in, renewal, or new lease may change what is required.

Open turnover path

Problem case

Inspection failed

Open the recovery path when a failed result, hazard finding, or missing submission is blocking the file.

Open recovery path

Inspection path

Who is qualified to do this?

Open the official provider path when you need the city-approved inspection or clearance route before you call anyone.

Open provider path

When the rule applies

Pre-1978 Philadelphia rental units generally need current lead-safe or lead-free documentation before rental-license issuance, rental-license renewal, or execution of a new lease agreement.

A pre-1978 rental unit needs a current lead-safe or lead-free certificate before a new lease, a lease renewal, or rental-license action.
Post-1978 units file for the construction-date exemption instead of lead certification.

What you need to submit

Upload the certificate and dust wipe results to Philadelphia's Lead Certification Submission System before filing the rental-license action.

Current lead-safe or lead-free certificate for the unit.
Dust wipe results when the property is being certified as lead-safe.
Upload the certification package through Philadelphia's Lead Certification Submission System before license issuance or renewal.

What blocks issuance or leasing

These blockers are pulled from the active source stack.

No new or renewed lease should be executed without a current lead-safe or lead-free certificate.
Rental-license issuance or renewal is blocked until required lead certifications are uploaded.
Open tax, fine, or L&I violation issues can still block the rental-license workflow even after lead compliance is complete.

Next operational step

Use this as the immediate action sequence.

Confirm whether the unit was built before March 1978.
Book a dust wipe technician or inspector/risk assessor and obtain a current certificate.
Upload the certificate before the next lease or rental-license action.

Exemptions to confirm

Confirm exemptions before treating the unit as out of scope.

Units constructed during or after March 1978.
Dwelling units developed by or for an educational institution for the exclusive residential use of that institution's students.
Use the City exemption form when the property is outside the lead-certification scope.

This page explains procedure and next operational steps. It does not replace the official filing or inspection rules.

Optional help

Get a next-step review

Use this when you want a quick next-step review on the current city file before you submit, lease, or line up outside help.

Add an email address or phone number, plus consent, and a launch operator can follow up on this city and trigger state.

Email Phone

Short note I consent to follow-up routing based on this city, trigger state, and request.

Action plan

What to do this week

Move through these steps in order before you rely on optional routing, outreach, or vendor calls.

This week

Confirm the trigger and open the file

A pre-1978 rental unit needs a current lead-safe or lead-free certificate before a new lease, a lease renewal, or rental-license action.

A pre-1978 rental unit needs a current lead-safe or lead-free certificate before a new lease, a lease renewal, or rental-license action.
Post-1978 units file for the construction-date exemption instead of lead certification.

Submission package

Assemble the city package

Current lead-safe or lead-free certificate for the unit.

Current lead-safe or lead-free certificate for the unit.
Dust wipe results when the property is being certified as lead-safe.
Upload the certification package through Philadelphia's Lead Certification Submission System before license issuance or renewal.

Hold leasing until

Clear blockers and finish the city step

No new or renewed lease should be executed without a current lead-safe or lead-free certificate. Confirm whether the unit was built before March 1978.

No new or renewed lease should be executed without a current lead-safe or lead-free certificate.
Rental-license issuance or renewal is blocked until required lead certifications are uploaded.
Open tax, fine, or L&I violation issues can still block the rental-license workflow even after lead compliance is complete.

Optional help

Get a next-step review

Use this when you want a quick next-step review on the current city file before you submit, lease, or line up outside help.

Get a next-step review

Trust & review

Who reviewed this page

This page is reviewed against the official source stack below and keeps the rule text separate from optional operational routing.

Reviewed by

Philadelphia market review desk

Lease-trigger and portal workflow review

Approved by

Publishing review desk

Public dossier approval

Effective date

May 1, 2025

Most authoritative published effective date or revision date found in the current source stack.

Source review date

Apr 7, 2026

Most recent verification date across the public source stack for this page.

Governing authority

City of Philadelphia

Follow the official authority workflow before you rely on optional routing or partner help.

Review method

Jurisdiction dossier review

Checked against the active Philadelphia source stack before the page is treated as public workflow guidance.

Each source card separates the published effective or revision date from the verification date and the next scheduled review. Use those dates, not a generic year label, to judge freshness.

Recent review log

What changed recently

Apr 7, 2026

Page review completed

Reviewed the requirements path against the current public source stack and next-step workflow.

Apr 7, 2026

Public page output refreshed

Refreshed page output, structured data, and internal dossier links for this public route.

Apr 7, 2026

Latest source verification logged

Confirmed the May 1, 2025 city revision still controls the lease trigger, four-year lead-safe window, and portal submission sequence used on this dossier.

Official sources

Sources & review dates

City of Philadelphia

Partners in Good Housing (May 1, 2025 revision)

Philadelphia's housing guidance says pre-1978 rentals need lead-safe or lead-free certification before the lease or rental-license event, uses a four-year lead-safe window, and requires portal submission of the certificate package.

Confirmed the May 1, 2025 city revision still controls the lease trigger, four-year lead-safe window, and portal submission sequence used on this dossier.

Effective May 1, 2025 Verified Apr 7, 2026 Review Jul 6, 2026

City of Philadelphia

Rental License Requirements

Philadelphia's rental-license checklist says no rental license is issued or renewed until required lead results are submitted through the online portal and notes the four-year lead-safe cycle.

Rechecked Philadelphia's rental-license checklist so portal submission, renewal gating, and no-license-without-lead-results blockers still match the public dossier.

Verified Apr 7, 2026 Review Jul 6, 2026

Philadelphia Department of Public Health

Lead and Healthy Homes FAQ

Philadelphia's FAQ explains portal submission steps, confirms four-year validity for newer lead-safe certificates, and notes each multi-unit rental unit needs its own certificate package.

Verified Apr 7, 2026 Review Jul 6, 2026

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

How can I find a lead-safe certified firm?

EPA directs owners to its searchable database for lead-safe certified firms and frames it as the official starting point for locating qualified renovation firms.

Verified Apr 7, 2026 Review Jul 6, 2026

Related paths

Keep moving through the dossier

Optional help

Get a next-step review

These operational lanes are optional follow-up paths and do not replace the official filing, inspection, or enforcement workflow.

Philadelphia inspection desk Philadelphia launch ops

Use when the request is still deciding between lead-safe inspection, dust wipe, and portal submission sequencing.