nyc local law 1 is New York City’s lead paint law. It protects renters from peeling lead paint, especially families with a child under 6. If a letter from your landlord cites nyc local law 1, the key date is February 15. That is the deadline to return your yearly lead notice form.
What NYC Local Law 1 Actually Says
The full name is Local Law 1 of 2004. Its goal is to prevent childhood lead poisoning at home. Lead paint is still common in older city buildings. As a result, nyc local law 1 puts the job of finding and fixing it on the landlord, not the tenant.
The law is built around one question: does a young child live in the apartment? Under the law, a child “resides” in a unit if the child is under 6 and routinely spends 10 or more hours a week there. That means a grandchild who stays with you after school may count, even if the child lives somewhere else.
In most cases, the landlord must assume any paint in an older building is lead paint. The legal definition of lead-based paint also got stricter. For example, since December 1, 2021, paint counts as lead-based at 0.5 mg/cm², down from 1.0 mg/cm². Here are the main rules under nyc local law 1, based on HPD’s published guidance.
| Provision | Exact rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who counts as a child | Under age 6 who spends 10 or more hours per week in the unit | HPD Annual Notice guidance |
| Annual notice delivered | Between January 1 and January 16 each year | HPD Annual Notice guidance |
| Annual notice returned | By February 15 each year | HPD Annual Notice guidance |
| Buildings presumed to have lead paint | Built before 1960, or built January 1, 1960 to January 1, 1978 if the owner knows lead paint is present | HPD Lead-Based Paint guidance |
| Lead paint threshold | 0.5 mg/cm² (since December 1, 2021) | HPD / Local Law 66 of 2019 |
| Whole-building XRF testing deadline | August 9, 2025 (for pre-1960 buildings, under Local Law 31) | HPD XRF Testing FAQ |
Specific Administrative Code section numbers are not listed in the verified sources for this page. If your letter cites a section number, confirm it with HPD or on the city’s official law site.
Who NYC Local Law 1 Covers (and Who It Does Not)
nyc local law 1 mainly covers rental apartments in multiple dwellings. These are buildings with 3 or more units. The building must also be old enough. That means built before 1960, or built between 1960 and 1978 if the owner knows lead paint is there.
The yearly inspection duty kicks in when a child under 6 lives in a rented unit. However, some protections apply to every tenant. For example, turnover rules apply every time an apartment becomes vacant and a new tenant moves in. They apply whether or not the new tenant has a young child. A lease renewal is not a turnover.
Some units hold an exemption because testing showed no lead paint. However, exemptions granted under the old 1.0 mg/cm² standard are revoked at the next turnover. Whether a one- or two-family rental house is covered depends on specific facts. Typically, the safest step is to ask HPD directly about your building before assuming nyc local law 1 does not apply.
What Your Landlord Must Do Under This Law
Your landlord’s first duty is the Annual Notice. Between January 1 and January 16, the landlord must give each tenant this form. It asks if a child under 6 lives in the unit. It must come in at least English and Spanish, and in duplicate. You keep one copy and return the other.
If a child under 6 lives in your unit, nyc local law 1 requires an inspection at least once a year. That covers your apartment and the common areas. The landlord must repair any peeling paint or lead hazard found. They must also fix hazards you report, and any cited in an HPD or Health Department violation.
How the work is done matters too. All violation work must be done by an EPA-licensed firm using safe work practices. In other words, dust must be contained. Owners must also keep trying each year to test any untested apartments. If an untested unit turns over, the owner must test it during that turnover.
What You Can Do When It Is Broken
Start by telling your landlord about peeling paint in writing. Keep a copy and take dated photos. If the landlord ignores you, or the repair work spreads dust, you can call 311 or file a complaint online. When a child under 6 lives in a pre-1960 building, a 311 complaint typically triggers an HPD lead inspection.
If HPD finds a hazard, it issues a violation. The Notice of Violation lists the exact correction deadline. If the owner fails to act in time, HPD is required to attempt the repair itself through its emergency repair program. The cost is then billed to the property. As a result, nyc local law 1 gives you a real path even when your landlord stalls.
HPD can also take landlords to court. For example, HPD has obtained over $150,000 in civil penalties against one owner for failing to comply. For general questions, HPD’s Lead Unit can be reached at (212) 863-5501, option 5. If your child has a high blood lead level, or you face eviction or retaliation, contact a local legal-aid office or tenant attorney right away.
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You can read HPD’s official guidance on the HPD Lead-Based Paint page, the HPD Annual Notice and Investigations page, and the HPD tenant fact sheet on Local Law 1. The main agency site is NYC HPD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to tell my landlord I have a young child?
Under nyc local law 1, the Annual Notice asks this so the landlord knows to inspect. Returning it by February 15 helps protect your child. If you don’t return it, the landlord must visit to check.
What if my child only visits my apartment?
A child counts if they are under 6 and routinely spend 10 or more hours a week in your unit. That can include a grandchild or a child you babysit regularly. Say so on the form.
Can my landlord evict me for complaining about lead paint?
Complaining about lead hazards is a protected tenant step. Your landlord still has to follow nyc local law 1 after you complain. If you get eviction papers after reporting lead, contact a local legal-aid office or tenant attorney quickly.
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Sources & How to Verify
The rules on this page are drawn from official government and legal-aid sources. Tenant law changes, so always confirm the exact rule with your state’s statute or a local legal-aid office.
- HUD: hud.gov — federal renter protections and fair housing
- Legal Services Corporation: lsc.gov — find free legal aid in your state
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex — plain-English legal definitions
- Your state statute & court self-help portal: search “[your state] landlord tenant act” and “[your state] court self-help eviction” for the exact law and forms
Content last reviewed September 2026. If you notice outdated information, please contact us.
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Informational only — not legal advice. Tenant Rights Info is an independent educational resource, not a law firm, and this page does not provide legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city and changes over time, so always verify the exact rule with your state’s statute, your local court’s self-help portal, or a legal-aid office. For urgent situations like an active eviction, contact a local legal-aid office or a licensed tenant attorney in your state right away.