For Cleveland landlords · Lead Safe Certification
Every Lead Safe Certificate, tracked and renewed on time.
Risk assessments, certificate expiry dates and renewals for every pre-1978 rental unit. See which units are covered before a ticket arrives.
- Reminders before each certificate expires
- Assessments and clearances filed per unit
- 14 days free, no card
- 13315 W 98th StCertificate valid · expires Mar 2027Valid
- 21876 E 82nd StExpires Nov 14 · book the risk assessorDue
- 34120 Lorain Ave, upAssessment found hazards · repair, then a clearance examFix
- 44120 Lorain Ave, downCertificate valid · expires Aug 2027Valid
Sample data. Not real records.
Why the records matter
Cleveland stopped warning and started ticketing.
Every rental unit built before 1978 needs a Lead Safe Certificate, and each one lasts 2 years. In 2025 the city began writing civil tickets to owners without one.
Lead safe and rental registration tickets the city wrote in the last quarter of 2025, up from 48 in the first.
Source: City of Cleveland presentation to Council, Feb 2026Of an estimated 90,000 pre-1978 rental units had a Lead Safe Certificate on Feb 1, 2026: 29,116.
Source: City of Cleveland presentation to Council, Feb 2026Civil ticket for a rental unit without a valid certificate, plus $50 if paid late. Unpaid tickets go on the property tax bill.
Source: City of Cleveland, civil ticketsWhat the city asks for
What a Lead Safe Certificate takes, unit by unit.
Each certificate rests on an assessment report and expires on its own date. ViolationProof keeps both, so nothing lapses quietly.
Last verified Oct 12, 2026
- 01Rental registrationEvery rental unit registered with the city and renewed by March 1 each year. The certificate application asks for the registration number.
- 02Lead risk assessmentBy an Ohio-licensed lead risk assessor who is independent of you: a visual assessment plus dust samples, no more than 90 days old when the certificate is filed.
- 03Repairs and clearanceIf the assessment finds hazards: the repair work, done lead-safe, and a clearance exam afterwards.
- 04Lead Safe CertificateFiled through the city’s online portal, usually by your risk assessor. No fee. Valid for 2 years.
- 05ExemptionsOwner-occupied, vacant with a yearly affidavit, or a 20-year exemption after abatement: keep the proof for each unit.
Your year
The certificate cycle, on one calendar.
- Every March 1Renew rental registrationEach unit, every year. No registration number, no certificate.
- 90 daysAssessment windowThe risk assessment must be no older than this when the certificate is filed.
- 30 days before expiryReapplyThe earliest you can file for the next certificate. Book the assessor before then.
- Every 2 yearsCertificate expiresEach unit on its own date. A lapsed certificate can mean a $200 ticket.
How it works
Every unit, every deadline, every report. One file.
- 01
Add your buildings
Address, year built and every unit. Type them in or import a CSV from your spreadsheet.
- 02
See what each unit owes
The app works out what every unit needs under your city’s law, and when. You get a reminder before each deadline.
- 03
Log it on your phone
Notices, tenant replies, visits, clearances and certificates, each with its date and the report or photo.
- 04
Hand over one file
When the city asks, download every assessment, clearance and certificate for a building as one PDF, unit by unit.
Works with your contractors
Repair work and the clearance, in the same file.
When an assessment finds hazards, file the contractor’s paperwork with the repair: EPA firm certificate, certified renovator, safe work practices and cleaning verification. The clearance exam goes next to it, under the unit.
Pricing
14 days free. Then a plan by your units.
No card to start. Four plans by the number of units you track; pay yearly and two months are free. Common areas and buildings you have sold are not counted. Unlimited people, records and photos on every plan.
Starter
Up to 10 units
$9/ month
or $90 a year
A house with a rented unit, a two- or three-family, a small building.
Building
Up to 40 units
$39/ month
or $390 a year
A few buildings, or one larger one.
Portfolio
Up to 120 units
$99/ month
or $990 a year
A portfolio across the city.
Manager
Up to 500 units
$349/ month
or $3490 a year
A management company.
Over 500 units: from $0.40 a unit a month, at least $349 a month, billed yearly on an invoice. Email [email protected].
Which rentals need a Lead Safe Certificate?
Rental units built before 1978. Owner-occupied homes, vacant units with a yearly affidavit and units with a 20-year abatement exemption are exempt.
What does a certificate take now?
Since October 2024 the city asks for a lead risk assessment by an Ohio-licensed risk assessor who is independent of you, no more than 90 days old when the certificate is filed. A clearance exam is accepted after repair work.
How long does a certificate last?
2 years. You can reapply no earlier than 30 days before it expires. A unit that has been fully abated can get a 20-year exemption instead.
What if a unit has no valid certificate?
The city can write a $200 civil ticket, plus $50 if it’s paid late, and unpaid tickets go on the property tax bill. It is also a first-degree misdemeanor, and each day counts as a separate offense.
Is there still money to help?
The Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition’s certificate incentive stopped taking applications in February 2026. Its repair grants continue; check leadsafecle.org for what is open now.
Does ViolationProof file the certificate for me?
No. Your risk assessor files it through the city’s portal. ViolationProof keeps the report and the certificate per unit, and reminds you before each one expires.
Start
Every certificate, on file today.
Add a building and its units, put the certificates and assessments you already have on file, and see which ones expire next. 14 days free, no card; then from $9 a month.
Start free- 14 days free, no card
- Sign in with a code from your email, no password
- Your records stay yours: download the file any time, even on the free Archive plan
Units somewhere we don’t cover yet, or a question about your city’s law? Tell us where you are, and we write back.
Sources
- Cleveland Codified Ordinances §365.04, Lead safe certification
- City of Cleveland, Lead Safe Certificate FAQ, Nov 26, 2024
- City of Cleveland, Submit a Lead Safe application
- City of Cleveland, Civil tickets
- City of Cleveland, Lead presentation to Council, Feb 9, 2026 (via Signal Cleveland)
- Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, certification incentive wind-down
This page summarizes Cleveland’s lead safe certification law (Codified Ordinances Chapter 365) for owners. It is not legal advice. ViolationProof is not affiliated with the City of Cleveland or the U.S. EPA.