Louisville, KY Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Rental housing built before 1978
- Request method
- By appointment with the Department
- Priority given to
- At-risk tenants (children under 6, pregnant)
- Assessment deadline
- 30 days after correction order
Summary
Tenants in pre-1978 Louisville Metro rental units can request a lead-hazard inspection by appointment, with priority for households with young children or pregnant occupants.
Inspection by appointment. Rental housing unit tenants may request inspections for lead-based hazards by appointment. Priority shall be given to units which serve as an at-risk tenant's primary or secondary residence.
(D) Approval by Director. Before any order by a Louisville Metro Code Enforcement Officer for a Lead-Hazard Risk Assessment based upon a reasonable suspicion of a lead-based hazard following an inspection, the Director must first review and approve of such order prior to its issuance. (Lou. Metro Ord. No. 30-2025, approved 3-10-2025)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-47: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinances passed by the Council and approved by the Mayor as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Louisville Metro's lead-hazard prevention chapter, tenants of rental housing built before 1978 may request a lead-based hazard inspection by appointment rather than waiting for a routine code visit. The Department of Codes and Regulations gives scheduling priority to units serving as an at-risk tenant's primary or secondary residence: defined as a child under six or a pregnant occupant. This sits inside the broader Property Maintenance Code, where Code Enforcement Officers otherwise inspect rentals under general right-of-entry authority; this section adds a tenant-initiated path specific to lead paint concerns.
Violations & Fines
Confirmed lead-based hazards trigger an Order of Correction; the owner must obtain a Lead-Hazard Risk Assessment within 30 days and complete remediation within 90 days, or face a citation under LMCO § 156.308.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any Louisville Metro tenant request a lead inspection?
Who inspects for lead hazards in Louisville Metro rentals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Louisville
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