Durham, NC Building Safety: Lead Paint (2026)

Section 10-234(k), "Painting," is Durham's general maintenance rule for every dwelling and dwelling unit covered by the Housing Code, and it doubles as the local lead-paint standard. Effective January 1, 1995, all exterior surfaces "not inherently resistant to deterioration" must be treated with a protective coating, paint or another suitable preservative, often enough to prevent deterioration, and those surfaces must be cleaned of flaking or defective material before recoating. Inside, any loose or peeling wall covering or paint must be stripped and the exposed surface left smooth and sanitary.

The operative lead standard follows directly: "No paint shall be used for interior painting of any dwelling or dwelling unit that exceeds the amount of lead paint pigment as established by the Consumer Products Safety Commission," and paint chips or dust cannot be left on any interior or exterior surface of the dwelling or premises. 31), which requires certified firms and specific work practices. Locally, a peeling-paint or excess-pigment condition found during a Durham housing inspection is cited as a § 10-234 fitness violation and routed through the administrator's standard complaint-and-repair process rather than a separate lead ordinance.