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Insight Horizon Media

Do you have to remove lead paint in Massachusetts?

Author

John Castro

Published Feb 16, 2026

Do you have to remove lead paint in Massachusetts?

According to the Massachusetts Lead Law, property owners must remove or cover all lead paint hazards in homes built before 1978 where any child under 6 years old lives. This includes rental properties.

Can you sell a house with lead paint in MA?

Massachusetts law requires the removal or proper covering of lead paint hazards in homes built before 1978 where any child under six years of age lives. Homeowners are responsible for complying with the law; however, a seller is not obligated to make a home lead safe before selling the property.

When was lead paint banned in MA?

1978
Welcome to the Massachusetts Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program’s database for lead inspected homes. Lead in residential paint was banned in 1978, and due to the large quantity of pre-1978 homes in Massachusetts, you will find many properties in this database.

Can you encapsulate lead paint in Massachusetts?

Encapsulation is a legal method of containing lead paint. Learn more about the process and approved products here. Home owners must have a lead inspection by a Licensed Massachusetts lead inspector before they apply encapsulants as a deleading method.

Can you live in a house with lead paint?

Is lead paint still used in DCJ Housing homes? No. Since 1970, lead paint has been banned from use in NSW.

Do all homes built before 1978 have lead paint?

If your home was built before 1978, it is more likely to have lead-based paint. In 1978, the federal government banned consumer uses of lead-based paint, but some states banned it even earlier. Lead paint is still present in millions of homes, sometimes under layers of newer paint.

Is it safe to live in a house with lead paint?

(To be completely safe, you may want to consider treating any lead paint–covered surfaces, if you have children living in your home or visiting frequently.) Lead-based paint is most dangerous when it is deteriorating—peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking, etc.

How do you deal with lead paint in an old house?

What Can I Do If I Have Lead Paint in the House?

  1. Immediately clean up any paint chips you find.
  2. Keep play areas clean.
  3. Don’t let children chew on painted surfaces.
  4. Clean dust off of window sills and other surfaces on a regular basis, using a sponge, mop, or paper towels with warm water.

Does my house have lead paint?

Answer: The older your home, the more likely it contains lead-based paint. Hire a certified professional to check for lead-based paint. A certified lead-based paint inspector or risk assessor can conduct an inspection to determine whether your home or a portion of your home has lead-based paint and where it is located.

Is it safe to encapsulate lead paint?

Using encapsulants is the best and safest way to cover lead paint in order to prevent it from producing dangerous lead-containing dust. Encapsulants are thicker than regular paint primers and work to seal or “encapsulate” the lead paint behind a membrane.

How much does it cost to encapsulate lead paint?

Lead Paint Encapsulation Cost Expect to pay between $800 and $1,400 to cover all areas of a 1,000 to 2,000 square foot home. Estimate about $4 per square foot when using a pro. This is an inexpensive and non-invasive encasing technique that you can sometimes do yourself.

What happens if you breathe in lead paint?

Exposure to even low levels of lead can cause damage over time, especially in children. The greatest risk is to brain development, where irreversible damage can occur. Higher levels can damage the kidneys and nervous system in both children and adults.