Property Owners & Landlords | Vermont Department of Health CLOSE Translations for you Property Owners & Landlords Asbestos & Lead Requirements Look Up Licensed Asbestos and Lead Contractors Licenses, Certificates & Permits Contractors & Other Building Professionals Child Care Providers & Schools Municipal Officials Property Owners & Landlords Real Estate Professionals Renters Inspection, Repair & Cleaning (IRC) Practices Training for RRPM & IRC Practices Renovation, Repair, Painting & Maintenance (RRPM) Regulations Asbestos and Lead Requirements for Property Owners and Landlords The information on this page is for property owners such as homeowners, landlords, rental property owners, property managers, and commercial building owners. Why are asbestos and lead regulated in Vermont? Asbestos and lead pose health risks, and they may be found in buildings and other structures. Because of this, the Health Department and the Environmental Protection Agency have specific requirements for the maintenance, renovation and demolition of buildings and other structures. Asbestos-containing materials are only dangerous when they are disturbed or handled incorrectly. If asbestos-containing materials are not handled properly, asbestos particles can be breathed in. Even a small amount of asbestos-containing materials can cause health effects. Learn more about the hazards and health effects of asbestos Lead-based paint becomes a hazard when it is disturbed. This can be from chipping and peeling paint, when painted surfaces rub together, or when the paint is not properly sanded, scraped or burned. If lead-based paint is not handled properly, lead dust can be breathed in or swallowed by workers and by people, especially children, who use the building or other structure. Learn more about the hazards and health effects of lead What You Need to Know About Asbestos and Lead Requirements What do I need to do before beginning a renovation or repair? Asbestos For Homeowners (not landlords or other property owners) The Health Department recommends that you have an asbestos inspection performed: Before beginning a renovation If there is damage such as crumbling drywall or insulation that is falling apart Disturbed or damaged asbestos-containing materials are a health hazard. Even newer buildings can have asbestos-containing materials. Places where asbestos is found in homes include insulation, joint compound, drywall, popcorn ceilings, ceiling and floor tiles, roofing shingles and siding, and other materials. A licensed asbestos inspector will know which materials to test for asbestos. Learn more about handling asbestos-containing materials during a renovation, demolition or fire clean up. If asbestos-containing materials are found in your home , the Health Department recommends that you hire a licensed asbestos abatement company to remove the materials if they will be disturbed during a renovation or are damaged. Asbestos-containing materials that are in good condition can safely remain in place as long as they remain undamaged. Learn more about protecting your family from exposure to asbestos If you choose to remove the asbestos-containing materials yourself , you can do this in your own home. However, you are required to follow the methods for handling and disposing of asbestos-containing materials (see Section 1.1.6 ). Unsafe handling of asbestos-containing materials often leads to the need for asbestos cleanup by a Vermont-licensed asbestos contractor . For questions on safe handling and removal of asbestos-containing materials, please email [email protected] If you hire an asbestos contractor , the contractor must be licensed by the State of Vermont and follow all required work practices. Find a Licensed Asbestos Contractor For Owners of Rental, Public or Commercial Buildings Before renovating a building, an inspection is required and must be conducted by a Vermont-certified asbestos inspector If the inspector finds asbestos-containing materials in the building The asbestos-containing materials must be removed by a Vermont-certified asbestos abatement contractor before the renovation. The abatement contractor will need to apply to the Health Department for a work permit to perform the abatement work, and may also need to notify the EPA if the amount of asbestos-containing materials to be removed is large enough to require this notification. Some asbestos-containing materials can be removed by someone without an asbestos contractor license because they pose less of a health risk. The building owner should keep the asbestos inspection report as long as they own the building. The report should be transferred to the new owners when the building is sold. If the inspector does not find asbestos-containing materials in the building , you can proceed with the project. For more information, please email [email protected] Lead For Homeowners (not landlords or other property owners) of Pre-1978 Homes By law you must assume lead-based paint is present in all homes built before 1978. You are not required to be certified to do renovation and repair work on your own home, but you are encouraged to use lead-safe work practices and are prohibited from using certain unsafe work practices that create lead hazards (see Section 5 ). Lead-safe work practices help protect your family from lead poisoning , especially young children and pregnant people. Under Vermont law, if you use unsafe work practices and create lead hazards, you may be responsible for the cleanup, which will require you to hire a Vermont-licensed contractor If you are hiring a contractor, look for a Vermont Licensed Lead-Safe RRPM Firm to do any renovation or repair work on your home. These trained contractors use special methods to minimize dust and to clean up thoroughly. Learn more about the Vermont Lead Law Landlords of Pre-1978 Housing If the work on any pre-1978 rental housing will disturb more than 1 square foot of painted surface per interior room or exterior side of building, you must hire a Lead-Safe RRPM Firm to perform renovation, repair and painting work or have your own RRPM license . You can use these checklists and sample forms to prepare for RRPM work. For Owners of Pre-1978 Public, Commercial and Industrial Buildings You should hire a Vermont Licensed Lead-Safe RRPM firm to do any renovation or repair work. These trained contractors use special methods to minimize dust and to clean up thoroughly. Unsafe work practices that disturb lead-based paint will create lead hazards (see Section 5 ). Under Vermont law, if you use unsafe work practices and create lead hazards, you may be responsible for the cleanup that will require you to hire a Vermont-licensed contractor The appeal process for an administrative penalty decision can be found in the Administrative Penalty Statement of Procedural Rights What do I need to do before beginning a demolition? Asbestos For demolition of any structure , which includes homes, rental properties, public and commercial buildings, follow these requirements: Before demolishing the structure, a Vermont licensed asbestos inspector is required to perform an inspection. If asbestos-containing materials are found, they must be removed by a Vermont-licensed asbestos abatement contractor before the demolition. Find an asbestos abatement contractor. Submit the Vermont Building Demolition Notification Form at least 10 working days before the scheduled demolition, whether there are asbestos-containing materials or not. You will be asked to upload the asbestos inspection report in this form. Find steps for handling asbestos-containing materials during a demolition. Lead For Workers and Supervisors If you are working on a demolition project, you do not need Vermont lead licenses to do demolition work. Lead abatement licenses are not required since the intent is not to permanently eliminate the lead-based paint hazards. Lead-Safe RRPM licenses are not required, unless rental housing or a child-occupied facility will be built in its place. These work practices are prohibited during demolitions (see Section 5.1 of the Vermont Regulations for Lead Control ): Open flame burning or torching Use of heat guns operated at or above 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit Dry scraping or dry sanding Use of powered tools Hydro-blasting or high-pressure washing Abrasive blasting or sandblasting, chemical stripping The Health Department recommends that you follow lead-safe work practices to minimize creating dust from lead-based paint as much as possible. You should also adhere to applicable OSHA requirements that protect workers from lead hazards. Important Links Find Information on Inspection, Repair and Cleaning (IRC) Practices Look Up a Licensed Asbestos or Lead Company or Individual Apply for Asbestos and Lead Licenses, Certificates and Permits Submit an Asbestos or Lead Complaint Do I need to remove asbestos or lead from my home or building? Asbestos Asbestos-containing materials are only dangerous when they are disturbed or handled incorrectly. Asbestos is not required by law to be removed from a home or building unless a demolition or renovation is to occur or if the asbestos-containing materials are damaged. Learn more about handling asbestos-containing materials during a renovation, demolition or fire clean up. Lead Lead is not required by law to be removed from a home or building unless due to a court order or similar legal action. What are safe work practices for asbestos and lead? Asbestos For Homeowners (not landlords or property owners) The Health Department recommends that you have an asbestos inspection performed: Before beginning a renovation If there is damage such as crumbling drywall or insulation that is falling apart Disturbed or damaged asbestos-containing materials are a health hazard. Even newer buildings can have asbestos-containing materials. Places where asbestos is found in homes include insulation, joint compound, drywall, popcorn ceilings, ceiling and floor tiles, roofing shingles and siding, and other materials. A licensed asbestos inspector will know which materials to test for asbestos. If asbestos-containing materials are found in your home , the Health Department recommends that you hire a licensed asbestos abatement company to remove the materials if they will be disturbed during a renovation or are damaged. Asbestos-containing materials that are in good condition can safely remain in place as long as they remain undamaged. Learn more about protecting your family from exposure to asbestos If you choose to remove the asbestos-containing materials yourself , you can do this in your own home. However, you are required to follow the methods for handling and disposing of asbestos-containing materials (see Section 1.1.6 ). Unsafe handling of asbestos-containing materials often leads to the need for asbestos cleanup by a Vermont-licensed asbestos contractor . For questions on safe handling and removal of asbestos-containing materials, please email [email protected] If you hire an asbestos contractor , the contractor must be licensed by the State of Vermont and follow all required work practices. Find a Licensed Asbestos Contractor For Owners Rental, Public or Commercial Buildings Under Vermont law, only licensed contractors are allowed to perform asbestos abatement activities and must follow the regulations regarding the handling and disposing of asbestos-containing materials and apply for a permit or notify the Health Department. Lead For Homeowners (not landlords or property owners) of Pre-1978 Homes If you perform work on your own home , you must not use the prohibited work practices and are encouraged to use the same lead-safe work practices contractors are required to do. If you hire a contractor to perform work that will disturb painted surfaces over one square foot per interior room or 20 square feet per exterior side of building, it is Vermont law that that contractor has the Lead-Safe RRPM Firm and Supervisor licenses Lead-safe work practices help protect your family from lead poisoning , especially young children and anyone who is pregnant. Unsafe work practices that disturb lead-based paint will create lead hazards (see Section 2.2.28 ). Under Vermont law, if you use unsafe work practices and create lead hazards, you may be responsible for the cleanup that will require you to hire a Vermont-licensed contractor. More Resources What Homeowners and Renters Need to Know About Renovations and Lead Don’t Spread Lead: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Lead-Safe Painting, Repair, and Home Improvement Don't Spread Lead video Lead Paint Safety Field Guide For Owners of Pre-1978 Rental Housing Under Vermont law, only those with Lead-Safe RRPM licenses can perform work that disturbs painted surface over one square foot per interior room or exterior side of building. Vermont law always requires lead-safe work practices For Owners of of Pre-1978 Public or Commercial Buildings Under Vermont law, contractors are required to use lead-safe work practices How can I test for asbestos or lead hazards? Asbestos If you want to know whether there are asbestos-containing materials in a home, building, structure or material, hire a Vermont-licensed asbestos inspector to conduct an inspection. Learn more about handling asbestos-containing materials during a renovation, demolition or fire clean up. Lead Lead-Based Paint If you want to know whether lead-based paint is on a home, building or other structure, hire a Vermont-certified lead inspector or risk assessor to conduct a lead inspection or risk assessment. A lead inspection determines the presence or absence of lead-based paint on painted or coated surfaces. A risk assessment identifies lead hazards from deteriorated paint, dust and bare soil, and ways to control the lead hazards. Under Vermont law, all paint, stains and other coatings in buildings built before 1978 are considered lead-based unless they have been tested by a Vermont-licensed lead inspector and the property has been granted an exemption by the Asbestos and Lead Regulatory Program. Vermont does not allow the use of hardware store lead test kits to verify if lead is present. Drinking Water Test kits for lead in drinking water can be purchased from the Health Department Laboratory. Find out more about testing for lead in drinking water What do I need to know about Inspection, Repair and Cleaning (IRC) Practices? If you are a landlord or property manager find out what you need to know about IRC Practices Where can I find posters and fact sheets and IRC Practices class schedules? Asbestos Fact Sheets Handling Asbestos-Containing Materials During Renovations, Demolitions and Fire Clean Up Lead Inspection, Repair and Cleaning (IRC) Practices Training Classes IRC Practices classes are offered online and in person. Find out about the classes and view the training materials Fact Sheets and Posters How to Comply with Inspection, Repair and Cleaning (IRC) Practices Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home Prevent Lead Poisoning Poster - notice for occupants. To order copies, call 802-863-7220 or 800-439-8550 (toll-free in VT) or email [email protected] Lead-Safe Work Practices for Contractors - follow these work practices while doing IRC Practices What are the notification requirements and exemptions for asbestos-containing materials? EPA Notification Requirements The EPA may also need to be notified for certain types of buildings that will be demolished or when certain amounts of asbestos containing material will be removed. The EPA's NESHAP notification applies to any building that will be demolished regardless of amounts of asbestos containing materials found: Non-residential structure or residential structure with more than four units Residential structure with four units or less if it is part of a public improvement project Building will be used for fire training purposes Any building where more than 160 square feet or 260 linear feet of asbestos-containing materials is being removed disturbed Non-Friable Material Exceptions You can find a list of "non-friable materials" under Section 6 of the Vermont Regulations for Asbestos Control Some asbestos-containing materials can be removed by someone without an asbestos contractor license because they pose less of a health risk — unless they are chipped, ground, sanded, sawed, drilled, abraded, etc. However, these things must happen: Remove the asbestos-containing materials before the renovation. Follow safe work practices. Label, transport and dispose of the asbestos-containing materials by following requirements of the EPA, Vermont Agency of Transportation, and Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (Solid Waste Management). For more information, please email [email protected] Is there any financial assistance to help me pay for a lead-related project? The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board’s Lead-Based Paint Program provides financial and technical assistance to income-eligible landlords and homeowners to reduce the risk of lead poisoning caused by lead-based paint hazards. Call 802-828-5064 or 800-290-0527 or email [email protected] If your property is in Burlington or Winooski, the Burlington Lead Program of the City of Burlington provides similar assistance. Call 802-865-LEAD (5323). More Information Vermont Regulations for Asbestos Control Vermont Regulations for Lead Control Lead Hazards and How to Prevent Lead Poisoning Handling Asbestos-Containing Materials During Renovations, Demolitions and Fire Clean Up Asbestos & Lead Regulatory Program Mailing Address: VT Dept of Health Environmental Health Asbestos & Lead Regulatory Program 280 State Drive Waterbury, VT 05671-8350 Email: [email protected] Phone: 802-863-7220 or 800-439-8550 (toll-free in Vermont) February 20, 2026