Cal. Civ. Code § 460.530
Reports of the State Laboratory, Boards of Health, Code Enforcement Agencies or Housing
Operative Text
Inspection Agencies as Prima Facie Evidence
When certified as a true copy by the custodian of such records, a copy of any report of the State
Laboratory or State Program or any division thereof, or of any local board of health, code enforcement
agency, or housing inspection agency duly trained and authorized by the Director to implement the
provisions of M.G.L. c. 111, §§ 189A through 199B and to conduct inspections for the presence of
dangerous levels of lead or lead determinations or risk assessments shall be admissible in any judicial
proceeding without further authentication by either the laboratory or by the agency for which said
report was made and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.Under 105 Mass. Code Regs. 460.530, certified copies of inspection or laboratory reports issued by the State Laboratory, state programs, local boards of health, code enforcement agencies, or authorized housing inspection agencies carry special legal weight. When properly certified by the records custodian, these documents can be introduced in court without requiring the lab or agency to send a witness to authenticate them. The reports are treated as prima facie evidence, meaning the facts they contain are presumed accurate unless contradicted by other evidence.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Section 460.530 means that certified agency reports documenting lead hazards or violations carry immediate evidentiary weight in any judicial proceeding — no additional agency testimony is needed to establish their validity. Property owners and managers should be aware that a certified copy of a lead inspection or risk assessment report from an authorized agency can be used directly as evidence of the conditions it describes. Operators who receive such reports generally document their response and remediation efforts carefully, since the reported findings are presumed factual in court.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 105 Mass. Code Regs. 460.530, tenants benefit from a rule that makes certified lead inspection and laboratory reports powerful tools in legal proceedings — the findings in those reports are presumed to be true without requiring the inspecting agency to appear in court. This means that if a board of health, code enforcement agency, or authorized housing inspection agency has documented dangerous lead levels in a unit, that certified report can stand on its own as evidence. Tenants who are aware of such reports may explore options such as raising the documented findings in a housing court proceeding, filing a complaint with their local board of health, or contacting a tenant-rights organization to understand how this provision may apply to their situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 30, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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