Free Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form

A lead-based paint disclosure tells a buyer or renter what an owner knows about lead paint in a home. It covers known hazards, plus any reports or records the owner already has. Homes built before 1978 are the focus, since lead paint was common in older construction.

The form does not certify that a property is safe. Instead, it puts what the owner knows in writing before anyone signs. That way, both sides start the deal with the same facts.

Buyers and renters also receive a federally approved pamphlet about lead in the home. The booklet explains health risks and simple steps that lower exposure. Together, the two items give people a real chance to ask questions early.

Why Older Homes Get Special Treatment

Lead paint sits under newer coats in many older houses, apartments, and duplexes. Trouble usually starts when that paint chips, peels, or breaks down during a repair. Because young children face the highest risk, the disclosure surfaces the issue before move-in day.

You need a lead-based paint disclosure form whenever you sell or rent most housing built before 1978. The rule reaches ordinary owners, not just large landlords. So a single rental duplex falls under it just like a managed building does.

Common situations include:

• Listing an older family home for sale
• Signing a new lease on a pre-1978 apartment
• Renting out a converted attic or basement unit
• Selling a small multi-unit building to a first-time investor
• Handing keys to a new tenant after a renovation

A few housing types sit outside the rule, and newer construction falls outside it entirely. Therefore, confirm your situation with the agent, agency, or attorney handling the transaction before you skip the paperwork.

A complete disclosure covers five things: the property, the owner’s knowledge, the records, the acknowledgments, and the signatures. Each part below matches a section you fill in as you go.

Property and Party Details

Start with the full property address, including the unit number. Then name the seller or landlord and the buyer or tenant. Clear names keep the page attached to the right deal.

The Owner’s Knowledge Statement

Owners pick one of two answers. Either they know of lead paint or hazards in the housing, or they do not. If they do know, they describe what and where — for example, peeling paint on the original window frames.

Reports and Records

List every inspection report, risk assessment, or contractor record you hold about the property. Then hand copies over. If nothing exists, say so plainly rather than leaving the space blank.

The Buyer or Tenant Acknowledgment

The other party confirms they received the disclosure and the lead hazard pamphlet. Buyers also confirm whether they took or waived the chance to have the home checked. That single box protects both sides later.

Agent Acknowledgment

Real estate agents in the deal sign to confirm they told the owner about these duties. Not every transaction uses an agent, so this part stays empty in a private sale.

Signatures and Dates

Everyone signs and dates the form. After that, each party keeps a copy with the lease or the closing file.

Federal rules set the floor for a lead-based paint disclosure, and where you live can add more on top. Because of that, checking beats assuming.

Here is what to confirm before you sign:

• Your state’s official website — for anything the state adds for older housing
• Your city or county housing office — for local rental registration and inspection rules
• The requesting party — a buyer, tenant, lender, or property manager may want extra paperwork
• Your lease or purchase contract — the timing of signatures and inspections usually lives there

The form records knowledge; it does not test the property. So an owner who has never ordered an inspection still signs, and simply notes that no records exist. A certified inspector or risk assessor is the person who checks for actual lead.

Layered situations deserve a professional. For example, the property may sit in a trust, an estate, or a partnership. A local attorney can then confirm who signs and what the file needs.

Filling out the form takes a few minutes once you have the property file in front of you. Work through it in order, then sign it with the rest of the paperwork.

1. Gather the address, party names, and any inspection records.
2. Answer the knowledge question honestly, and add detail where you can.
3. List the reports you are handing over, or note that none exist.
4. Give the other party the lead hazard pamphlet.
5. Let a buyer decide whether to have the home checked before closing.
6. Collect signatures and dates from everyone involved, including any agent.

Keep the signed original with the lease or the closing file. Also keep the copies you handed out, since a clean record answers questions years later.

Document Genius turns this into a step-by-step questionnaire. Answer plain questions about the property, and the customizable template fills itself in as you go. Download the finished lead-based paint disclosure as a PDF or Word file. Then e-sign it and store it with your other documents. Start yours in minutes.