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Alabama Lead-Based Paint Inspector — Requirements & Free Practice

US-AL · License preparation

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Alabama Accreditation for Lead Hazard Reduction Activities — Lead-Based Paint Inspector

Individual inspector accreditation and Safe State registration for lead-based paint inspections and abatement clearance sampling in target housing and child-occupied facilities. Work is performed through a certified firm.

Licensing authority: University of Alabama Safe State Environmental Programs · Application information

Annual re registration between accreditation cycles
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit Safe State’s designated written application for re-registration under 822-X-1-.06(2)(a)3(i).
Current accreditation
Applicant remains accredited and is renewing only the annual Registry entry between accreditation and re-accreditation.
Examination
822-X-1-.06(2)(a)3 lists application and payment for this annual Registry procedure; it does not grant a new accreditation certificate or require an examination.
Fee
Pay the inspector re-registration fee of $150; simultaneous inspector/risk assessor registration is $200 total.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial Alabama accreditation with existing credentials or a reciprocal agreement
EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam
Accreditation fee
Inspector accreditation fee is $150; simultaneous inspector and risk assessor accreditation costs $200 total under 822-X-1-.05(1)(a)2.
Application
Submit Safe State’s designated application and supporting documentation; evidence of age and original training completion certificates is required, with the substitute certificate/roster/signed-letter procedure in 822-X-1-.05(1)(d)3.
Authorization to work
Maintain annual Safe State registration and work through a certified firm under 822-X-1-.05(1)(a)4. Accreditation expires three years and initial registration one year after the last day of the most recent training or refresher course.
Exam result verification
Pass the applicable inspector certification examination. A result obtained from a service not approved by Safe State must be verified by Safe State under 822-X-1-.05(1)(c)5(i). Prior passage of this currently offered examination remains in the requirement tree.
Existing credential
Applicant has already been approved in the inspector discipline by EPA or another jurisdiction. Safe State’s implementing instructions still require Alabama-approved current training and initial plus all subsequent refresher certificates.
Minimum age
At least 19 years of age under 822-X-1-.05(1)(c)4.
Reciprocity
A reciprocal agreement is discretionary, not automatic. 822-X-1-.05(5) requires applicants using an agreement to follow Safe State’s established procedures. Section 22-37A-6(h) authorizes agreements only where equivalency can be demonstrated.
Training
Complete an accredited, Safe State-registered inspector training course and obtain its completion certificate. Initial inspector training has at least 24 training hours, including 8 hours of hands-on experience (822-X-1-.04(1)(c)9(i)).
Training assessments
Complete the training provider’s course test and hands-on skills assessment to pass the training course; the course-test minimum is 70% correct. These are training-completion conditions under 822-X-1-.04(1)(c)11, rather than separately identified certification examinations.
Initial individual accreditation
EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam
Accreditation fee
Inspector accreditation fee is $150; simultaneous inspector and risk assessor accreditation costs $200 total under 822-X-1-.05(1)(a)2.
Application
Submit Safe State’s designated application and supporting documentation; evidence of age and original training completion certificates is required, with the substitute certificate/roster/signed-letter procedure in 822-X-1-.05(1)(d)3.
Authorization to work
Maintain annual Safe State registration and work through a certified firm under 822-X-1-.05(1)(a)4. Accreditation expires three years and initial registration one year after the last day of the most recent training or refresher course.
Exam result verification
Pass the applicable inspector certification examination. A result obtained from a service not approved by Safe State must be verified by Safe State under 822-X-1-.05(1)(c)5(i). Prior passage of this currently offered examination remains in the requirement tree.
Minimum age
At least 19 years of age under 822-X-1-.05(1)(c)4.
Training
Complete an accredited, Safe State-registered inspector training course and obtain its completion certificate. Initial inspector training has at least 24 training hours, including 8 hours of hands-on experience (822-X-1-.04(1)(c)9(i)).
Training assessments
Complete the training provider’s course test and hands-on skills assessment to pass the training course; the course-test minimum is 70% correct. These are training-completion conditions under 822-X-1-.04(1)(c)11, rather than separately identified certification examinations.
Initial accreditation based on a previously non registered training course
EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam
Accreditation fee
Inspector accreditation fee is $150; simultaneous inspector and risk assessor accreditation costs $200 total under 822-X-1-.05(1)(a)2.
Application
Submit Safe State’s designated application and supporting documentation; evidence of age and original training completion certificates is required, with the substitute certificate/roster/signed-letter procedure in 822-X-1-.05(1)(d)3.
Authorization to work
Maintain annual Safe State registration and work through a certified firm under 822-X-1-.05(1)(a)4. Accreditation expires three years and initial registration one year after the last day of the most recent training or refresher course.
Exam result verification
Pass the applicable inspector certification examination. A result obtained from a service not approved by Safe State must be verified by Safe State under 822-X-1-.05(1)(c)5(i). Prior passage of this currently offered examination remains in the requirement tree.
Minimum age
At least 19 years of age under 822-X-1-.05(1)(c)4.
Non registered course
For an accredited course not registered by Safe State or recognized under an agreement, either the training program registers that course or the applicant completes a Safe State-registered inspector refresher course and applies under 822-X-1-.05(1). Subsequent refreshers must be registered (822-X-1-.05(4)).
Training
Complete an accredited, Safe State-registered inspector training course and obtain its completion certificate. Initial inspector training has at least 24 training hours, including 8 hours of hands-on experience (822-X-1-.04(1)(c)9(i)).
Training assessments
Complete the training provider’s course test and hands-on skills assessment to pass the training course; the course-test minimum is 70% correct. These are training-completion conditions under 822-X-1-.04(1)(c)11, rather than separately identified certification examinations.
Three year individual re accreditation
EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam
Application deadline
Apply no later than the third year of accreditation; Safe State must receive the application at least 30 calendar days before expiration.
Existing accreditation
Applicant is an accredited inspector maintaining that accreditation under 822-X-1-.05(3).
Fee
Inspector re-accreditation fee is $150; simultaneous inspector and risk assessor re-accreditation is $200 total.
Prior examination passage
22-37A-5(a) requires an individual certified in this discipline to have passed the approved examination. The registered EPA inspector examination remains a leaf as prior passage of a currently offered examination; 822-X-1-.05(3) specifies refresher training, documentation and fees for re-accreditation without directing a new sitting of the third-party examination.
Refresher training
Complete a registered inspector refresher course every three years. Inspector refresher training lasts at least eight hours under 822-X-1-.04(3)(a)1(v).
Training assessments
The refresher course includes a hands-on skills assessment and a course test with at least 25 multiple-choice questions under 822-X-1-.04(3)(a)1(vi); these are conditions of refresher-course completion.
Training documentation
Submit the original inspector refresher completion certificate, or the photocopy, student roster and original signed training-program verification letter permitted by 822-X-1-.05(3)(a)1.
Validity and registration
Re-accreditation expires three years after the last day of the most recent refresher course. One year of registration accompanies re-accreditation; maintain annual re-registration thereafter, unless suspended or revoked.
Re accreditation based on a previously non registered training or refresher course
EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam
Application deadline
Apply no later than the third year of accreditation; Safe State must receive the application at least 30 calendar days before expiration.
Existing accreditation
Applicant is an accredited inspector maintaining that accreditation under 822-X-1-.05(3).
Fee
Inspector re-accreditation fee is $150; simultaneous inspector and risk assessor re-accreditation is $200 total.
Non registered refresher
For a previously non-registered accredited training/refresher course, either the provider registers that course or the applicant completes a registered inspector refresher course and submits the re-accreditation application under 822-X-1-.05(3); subsequent refreshers must be registered under 822-X-1-.05(4).
Prior examination passage
22-37A-5(a) requires an individual certified in this discipline to have passed the approved examination. The registered EPA inspector examination remains a leaf as prior passage of a currently offered examination; 822-X-1-.05(3) specifies refresher training, documentation and fees for re-accreditation without directing a new sitting of the third-party examination.
Refresher training
Complete a registered inspector refresher course every three years. Inspector refresher training lasts at least eight hours under 822-X-1-.04(3)(a)1(v).
Training assessments
The refresher course includes a hands-on skills assessment and a course test with at least 25 multiple-choice questions under 822-X-1-.04(3)(a)1(vi); these are conditions of refresher-course completion.
Training documentation
Submit the original inspector refresher completion certificate, or the photocopy, student roster and original signed training-program verification letter permitted by 822-X-1-.05(3)(a)1.
Validity and registration
Re-accreditation expires three years after the last day of the most recent refresher course. One year of registration accompanies re-accreditation; maintain annual re-registration thereafter, unless suspended or revoked.

EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam

Provider
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); scheduled online or by phone through Meazure Learning
Format
Discipline-specific third-party certification exam, taken online or in person after EPA issues an exam letter; no more than three attempts within 6 months of receiving the course completion certificate
Exam fee
$70 for each attempt (EPA certification examination fee)
Examination outline
  • Lead-based Paint Inspector Study Topics — Initial Request for Inspection
    • Defining the scope of work
    • Roles and responsibilities of an Inspector
    • Difference between inspection and risk assessment
    • Difference between XRF and paint chip sampling
    • Importance of State and local requirements
    • HUD and EPA notification and disclosure regulations
    • Health effects of lead in adults and children
    • Routes of lead exposure
    • Places where lead can be found inside and outside the home
    • EPA recommended steps for reducing lead in drinking water
    • Scope and goals of HUD and EPA lead regulations and guidelines
    • Responsibilities of Public and Indian Housing Authorities
    • Information about property needed to provide proposal for inspection
    • Information about property needed to determine number of units to inspect
    • Basic building and construction technology
    • Liability issues involved in lead inspections
  • Lead-based Paint Inspector Study Topics — Preparation for Inspection
    • Inspection scheduling
    • Licensing and transportation of XRF
    • How an XRF analyzer works
    • Inspector and occupant safety during XRF use
    • XRF calibration checks
    • Equipment and forms needed for sampling
    • OSHA regulations applicable to lead and respiratory protection
    • Types of dosimeters
  • Lead-based Paint Inspector Study Topics — Pre-inspection Meeting
    • Lead uses
    • How to determine common construction history
    • Calculation of number of units to inspect using HUD tables
    • Random selection of units using HUD protocols
  • Lead-based Paint Inspector Study Topics — The Inspection
    • Inventory of painted surfaces
    • Testing locations in single family and multi-family dwellings
    • Number of tests per testing combination and component type
    • Field documentation: sample location, sketches, and HUD forms
    • How to take XRF readings
    • Performance characteristic sheets (PCS)
    • XRF substrate corrections
    • Interpretation of XRF readings
    • Why POS, NEG and INCONCLUSIVE ranges vary among XRF analyzers
    • Data collection from XRF testing
    • HUD decision guidelines for paint chip sampling
    • Collection of paint chip samples (ppm and mg/cm2)
    • Laboratory and chain of custody forms
    • Sample labeling
    • Methods for analysis of lead
    • Interpretation of lab results
    • Use of chemical spot-test kits
    • Soil sampling methods
    • Dust sampling methods
  • Lead-based Paint Inspector Study Topics — Inspection Report
    • How to summarize inspection results
    • Contents of inspection report
    • Recommendations an Inspector can make
    • Inspection record retention requirements
  • Lead-based Paint Inspector Study Topics — Clearance Testing
    • The final visual inspection of hazard control activities
    • Why pre-abatement wipe and soil samples are collected
    • Why dust samples are collected for clearance
    • The number and location of clearance wipe samples
    • How to perform clearance wipe sampling
    • Calculation of wipe sample results (ug/ft2)
    • Wipe sampling clearance standards
    • What happens when a wipe test fails
    • Compositing clearance wipe and soil samples
Examination sources