Painters
Are there lead-safe rules for painting or renovating a pre-1978 home in Wisconsin?
A common question, answered by the MadisonWI.com editors · November 9, 2026
1 answer
From MadisonWI.com
Yes. Wisconsin's Lead-Safe Renovation Rule covers renovation, repair and paint work done for pay on homes and child care centers built before 1978. Any company that offers this kind of work must be a certified lead company. Covered work includes disturbing 6 square feet of painted or varnished surface in a single room, 20 square feet on the exterior, or any window replacement. If you do the work yourself, the rule doesn't apply as long as only you and your immediate family live in the home, no child with a high blood lead level lives there, and no part of the home is rented out. It does apply to rental property, even if you live there, and to a vacant property you plan to sell or rent rather than live in. Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Lead-Safe Renovation Rule FAQs (checked November 2026).
Written by the MadisonWI.com editors · November 9, 2026