The ordinance
Norristown passed Ordinance 21-14, now Chapter 200 of the Municipal Code: the Lead Poisoning Prevention and Lead Hazard Control Ordinance. The Municipality publishes a guide to it: Chapter 200 Ordinance Guide (January 2022, PDF).
In short: properties built before 1978 that are rented or sold need to be certified lead-safe, and the landlord gives the tenant a copy of the certificate. The rule has been enforced since January 1, 2022.
- Rentals: before a new rental license is issued and before each renewal, the landlord sends the certificate and the dust-wipe results to Buildings & Code Compliance at [email protected]. It applies whether or not children live in the unit. A unit that fails has to be repaired and pass before a tenant moves in.
- Sales: the owner or their agent needs a lead inspection within 6 months of the transfer, and the report goes in with the transfer inspection.
- Child day-care centers in pre-1978 buildings are covered too.
- Buildings from 1978 or later aren’t covered.
How long the certificate lasts
A Norristown lead-safe certificate is good for three years. That’s shorter than Philadelphia’s four, so put the date on your calendar. We also text clients before it expires.
How to get certified
The process is the same dust wipe test we do in Philadelphia:
- Visual check for peeling or deteriorated paint.
- Dust wipes from one windowsill and one floor in each bedroom, plus one common room, and a blank control.
- Accredited lab analysis at Accurate Analytical Testing LLC against the 2026 limits (floors 5, windowsills 40, troughs 100 µg/ft²).
- Certificate and lab report emailed to you when everything passes.
If a spot fails, I tell you which one, how to fix it, and the re-test is 20% off. See what to do after a failed test.
Before the visit
Most fails come down to dust on windowsills and floors. The prep checklist covers what to clean and repair first.
Where we work
We cover all of Norristown (19401, 19403, 19404) and surrounding Montgomery County. See the Norristown page for local details.