Bellevue, WA Building Safety: Lead Paint (2026)

Bellevue does not have a stand-alone lead paint ordinance; instead, the EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP) and Washington Department of Commerce implementation apply to any home built before 1978. Contractors performing work that disturbs more than 6 square feet of interior or 20 square feet of exterior painted surface in pre-1978 homes must be EPA-certified RRP firms with trained renovators, use lead-safe work practices (containment, HEPA vacuuming, wet methods), and provide the EPA Renovate Right pamphlet to occupants before work. Homeowners performing work on their own primary residence are exempt from RRP certification but should still follow the safe practices, especially if children under 6 or pregnant residents live in the home. Sellers and landlords of pre-1978 homes must provide lead disclosures under the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (Title X). Blood lead screening for children is available through King County Public Health. For confirmed lead hazards, abatement must be performed by certified abatement contractors, not general RRP firms. Bellevue building permits for pre-1978 homes often trigger lead-paint disclosure language.