For landlords

Lead-Safe Certificates and the NY Rental Registry in Syracuse and Onondaga County

New York now requires many rental properties in designated communities, including Syracuse, to be inspected and certified lead-safe. Under the New York State Lead Rental Registry, covered owners must have their property inspected and obtain a Lead-Safe Certificate, with the first certifications due by October 1, 2026. We connect you with a licensed contractor who handles these inspections. We are a marketing service, not a contractor, and the connection is free.

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Tell us about your rental property and we will connect you with a licensed contractor who handles NY lead rental registry inspections.

When you submit this form, your information is shared with a licensed lead paint contractor for the purpose of scheduling your free inspection or quote.

Key dates for the NY Lead Rental Registry

Law took effect: November 3, 2025
Owner registration due: January 3, 2026
Inspection obligation began: May 3, 2026
First certifications due: October 1, 2026
Renewal cycle: Every 3 years

Onondaga County has a documented shortage of EPA-certified lead contractors, which has slowed local lead work in recent years (WAER, Central Current). With a firm certificate deadline and limited supply, lining up a certified contractor early is worth doing.

Who this affects

The state Lead Rental Registry covers residential rental buildings with two or more units built before 1980 that sit in a covered ZIP code within a community of concern. Syracuse is one of the 25 communities of concern designated by New York State. A building is covered even if the owner or a family member lives in one of the units.

Single-family rentals are not covered by the state registry. The covered area is specific ZIP codes within the city, not every address, so confirm whether your property falls inside the registry with the Onondaga County Health Department or New York State.

Separate from the state law, the City of Syracuse runs its own rental registry with its own rules, so a single-family rental in the city may still carry city obligations even though the state registry does not apply. These are two different programs. Confirm city requirements with the City of Syracuse code office.

What happens if you miss the deadline

Owners who do not obtain a Lead-Safe Certificate on time may face civil penalties under the New York State Public Health Law. Because compliance is tied to the property's certificate of occupancy, falling out of compliance can affect your ability to rent or renew occupancy until lead hazards are resolved.

We do not list a specific penalty amount here. The exact civil penalty figures are set by statute and the 2026 regulations, so confirm the current amounts with New York State or the Onondaga County Health Department before relying on any number you see online.

What the inspection covers

The registry inspection is a visual assessment, inside and outside the building, for deteriorated paint such as chipping, peeling, and cracking, and related defects. It must be performed by an EPA-certified contractor, or by a property owner who holds a valid EPA Risk Assessor certification.

If lead hazards are found, they need to be corrected using lead-safe work practices before a Lead-Safe Certificate is issued. A lead paint inspection and, where work is needed, lead-safe (RRP) renovation are the services most landlords use to get there.

Programs that may help with the cost

Owners and landlords in Syracuse and Onondaga County may qualify for the Syracuse Landlord Window & Door Replacement Program from Home HeadQuarters, the Syracuse Lead Grant Program, or the programs on the county's lead home repair resources page. The inspection and lead-safe work behind a Lead-Safe Certificate are the kind of work these programs fund. Some of this help is a grant and some is a loan you repay. Amounts and eligibility change, so each program page is the current source. Our guide to lead paint grants and financial help covers all of them in one place.

How the connection works

Three steps, free, and the contractor does the work.

1
Tell us about your rental

Share a few details about your property, including how many units it has and roughly when it was built.
2
Get a free quote from a licensed contractor

We connect you with an EPA-certified contractor who handles NY lead rental registry inspections.
3
Get your inspection and certificate

The contractor inspects, helps address any hazards, and documents the work toward your Lead-Safe Certificate.

Official rental registry resources

Confirm your property's status, covered ZIP codes, and deadlines directly with these sources.

Using this service does not guarantee compliance. The legal obligation rests with you as the property owner, and the contractor performs the work.

What it costs, and what happens after you send it

What does lead work cost in Onondaga County?: No price is published on this site yet, and that is a deliberate hold rather than an oversight. Lead work is quoted per property, and this site does not publish a figure until it has been confirmed with local providers rather than borrowed from a national average. What you are buying decides most of it. A visual risk assessment, an XRF survey that reads every painted surface, and laboratory chip or dust-wipe sampling are three different jobs at three different prices, and abatement is a different order of magnitude again from any of them. Age and size of the property, how many surfaces are deteriorated, and whether a tenant or a young child is involved all move it. The EPA-certified inspector or risk assessor we send your request to prices it after seeing the property, and the quote is free. Onondaga County and New York run lead programs that may cover part of the work for eligible owners. The agencies set the terms and change them, so this site links them rather than printing amounts. The inspection cost guide explains what each service actually covers, so a quote makes sense when you have one.
How fast will someone get back to me?: Calls and form submissions reach Compass Camper LLC directly. We read the request and pass it to an independent EPA-certified lead professional serving Onondaga County, usually within about an hour during the day. That professional then contacts you to look at the property and quote the work on their own schedule.
What work is covered?: Lead paint inspection, lead paint testing, lead risk assessment, lead-safe renovation under the RRP rule, lead abatement, and rental property lead compliance. See every service.

Only the EPA-certified professional we send your request to can price your actual property. Compass Camper LLC does not perform lead inspection or abatement work and does not quote it.

Lead rental registry FAQs

Do Syracuse landlords need a Lead-Safe Certificate?

Yes, if the building has two or more units, was built before 1980, and sits in a covered Syracuse ZIP code within the state Lead Rental Registry. Single-family rentals are not covered by the state registry, though the City of Syracuse may have separate requirements of its own.

When is the NY lead rental registry deadline?

The first Lead-Safe Certificate is due by October 1, 2026 for covered properties. The inspection obligation began May 3, 2026, and certifications renew every three years. Registration steps can vary by locality, so check with the Onondaga County Health Department or New York State for the specifics that apply to your address.

What are the penalties for missing it?

Missing the deadline can bring civil penalties under New York Public Health Law and, because compliance is tied to the certificate of occupancy, can affect your ability to rent or renew occupancy until hazards are fixed. We do not list a specific dollar amount, because the exact civil penalty figures are set by statute and the 2026 regulations. Confirm current amounts with New York State or the county.

Who can perform the inspection?

An EPA-certified contractor, or a property owner who holds a valid EPA Risk Assessor certification. We connect you with a licensed contractor. We do not perform the inspection ourselves.

What does it cost me to use Onondaga Lead Services?

Nothing for the referral. The contractor you are connected with provides a free, no-obligation quote, and you decide whether to move forward.

Get a free quote for your registry inspection