Rock Hill, SC Building Safety: Lead Paint (2026)

Three regulatory layers govern lead paint in Rock Hill. (1) Federal - the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (Title X, 42 U.S.C. Section 4851 et seq.) and the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule at 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart E require lead-safe certified firms and certified renovators for any disturbance of more than 6 square feet interior or 20 square feet exterior of painted surface in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities. The federal Lead Disclosure Rule at 24 CFR Part 35 Subpart A (implementing 42 U.S.C. Section 4852d) is mandatory in any sale or lease of pre-1978 housing and requires the seller or landlord to provide the EPA pamphlet 'Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home,' a Lead Warning Statement attached to the contract, disclosure of any known lead hazards, and a 10-day inspection opportunity for buyers. (2) South Carolina state law - S.C. Code Title 44 Chapter 53 (Poisons, Drugs and Other Controlled Substances) Article 14 (Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control Act, S.C. Code Sections 44-53-1310 to 44-53-1380) establishes the SC childhood blood-lead surveillance and response program, administered by SC DHEC / SC DES. Significantly, EPA has NOT authorized South Carolina to run its own RRP / abatement certification program, so the federal EPA program applies directly: any firm performing renovation, repair, or painting in target housing must be EPA Lead-Safe Certified, and any lead abatement contractor must hold an EPA abatement certification. (3) Local - Rock Hill does not have a stand-alone municipal lead-paint ordinance. The Rock Hill Neighborhood Services Inspections Division enforces the IPMC, which at Section 305.3 prohibits peeling and chipped paint on interior surfaces (a common pathway for lead-paint enforcement on rental property). Public-health follow-up for elevated childhood blood lead levels is coordinated by SC DHEC / DES with the York County environmental-health office, including case management, lead inspections, and orders to abate identified hazards. A meaningful share of Rock Hill's housing stock predates 1978; lead-paint risk concentrates in older West End, Crawford, and Sunset Park neighborhoods.