N.C. Gen. Stat. § § 130A-453.03
Certification of individuals who perform inspections, risk assessments, or abatements.
Operative Text
(a) Requirement. - An individual shall not perform or offer to perform an inspection, risk assessment, or abatement of target housing or a child-occupied facility unless the individual is certified by the Department to perform the activity. Performance of an inspection, risk assessment, or abatement encompasses a range of activities. To ensure proper performance of all aspects of an inspection, risk assessment, or abatement, the certification requirement imposed on an individual applies to each activity. The categories of individual certification are inspector, risk-assessor, designer, supervisor, worker, and any other category required by federal law. The category of risk-assessor includes the category of inspector. Thus, a person who is certified as a risk-assessor is not required to be certified as an inspector. Otherwise, an individual who performs or offers to perform activities within the scope of more than one category must be certified in each category. (b) Exemption. - The certification requirement imposed by this section does not apply to an individual who performs an abatement of a residential dwelling the person owns and occupies as a residence, unless the residential dwelling is occupied by a person or persons other than the owner or the owner's immediate family while an abatement is being performed, or a child residing in the dwelling has been identified as having an elevated blood lead level. (1997-523, s. 1.)
Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-453.03, any individual who performs or offers to perform a lead-based paint inspection, risk assessment, or abatement in target housing or a child-occupied facility must hold a valid certification from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for each specific activity category they undertake. Certification categories include inspector, risk-assessor, designer, supervisor, and worker, among others required by federal law; notably, a certified risk-assessor is also considered certified as an inspector. A limited exemption exists for owner-occupants performing abatement on their own residence, but that exemption disappears if the home is simultaneously occupied by non-family members or if a child in the dwelling has been identified with an elevated blood lead level.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who hire contractors to conduct lead inspections, risk assessments, or abatements in target housing or child-occupied facilities should verify that each individual performing work holds the appropriate certification category required under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-453.03. Compliant operators typically request and retain copies of certification documents before work begins, confirming that each activity—inspection, risk assessment, abatement supervision, or hands-on abatement work—is covered by the worker's credentials. Owner-occupants who might otherwise qualify for the self-performance exemption under § 130A-453.03(b) should be aware that the exemption does not apply when non-family occupants are present during abatement or when a child in the home has a documented elevated blood lead level.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-453.03 establishes that tenants living in target housing or child-occupied facilities have a right to expect that any individual performing lead-related inspections, risk assessments, or abatements holds a valid state certification for each activity performed. If a tenant has reason to believe uncertified work is being or has been conducted, they may consider contacting the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which administers the certification program under this provision, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options. Tenants whose households include a child identified with an elevated blood lead level should be aware that this fact specifically removes the owner-occupant exemption under § 130A-453.03(b), meaning certified professionals are required regardless of ownership status.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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