The Environmental Protection Agency has significantly increased enforcement of its Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule in 2026, issuing more than 200 civil penalty notices to contractors in the first quarter alone — a 340 percent increase over the same period in 2025.
The RRP rule, which has been in effect since 2010, requires that contractors performing renovation, repair, or painting work that disturbs lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities be certified by the EPA or an authorized state program. Certified contractors must follow specific work practice standards to minimize lead dust exposure and must provide homeowners with the EPA's 'Renovate Right' pamphlet before beginning work.
The EPA estimates that approximately 30 million homes in the United States contain lead-based paint, and that renovation and repair work in these homes is a significant source of childhood lead exposure. The agency has identified the restoration industry — which frequently works in older housing stock following water, fire, and storm damage — as a high-priority enforcement target.
Civil penalties for RRP violations can reach $37,500 per violation per day. The EPA has indicated that it will pursue maximum penalties for contractors who repeatedly violate the rule or who fail to cooperate with inspections.
Restoration contractors working in pre-1978 homes must ensure that all technicians who disturb lead paint are EPA-certified, that required work practice standards are followed, and that documentation of compliance is maintained. The IICRC offers lead-related training programs that satisfy EPA certification requirements.
State-level enforcement has also increased, with several states that administer their own RRP programs reporting significant increases in inspection activity and penalty assessments.
