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New Mexico Lead-Based Paint Inspector — Requirements & Free Practice

US-NM · License preparation

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EPA lead-based paint inspector certification

Federal individual inspector certification administered by EPA in New Mexico under 40 CFR 745.226. Inspectors may perform inspection and post-abatement dust-lead testing in the regulated target-housing and child-occupied-facility setting.

Licensing authority: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) · Application information

Initial certification after failure to complete recertification before expiry
EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam
Application
Meet the initial inspector application, passport photograph, fee and course-certificate requirements; inspectors have no additional education or experience prerequisites.
Expired certification
The prior EPA inspector certification expired before refresher training, application processing and receipt of the recertification certificate were completed.
Practice restriction
Do not conduct lead-based paint activities after certification expires and before certification is obtained.
Time limit and attempts
Initial certification requires passage and receipt of the certificate within six months of the new course certificate, with no more than three examination attempts during that period.
Training
Retake the appropriate accredited course and reapply for initial EPA inspector certification, including passing the inspector third-party certification examination.
Initial certification by examination
EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam
Application
Apply electronically to EPA with the course certificate, passport photograph, applicable fee payment and applicable qualification documentation; EPA supplies examination registration instructions.
Attempts
No more than three certification-examination attempts within six months of receiving the course completion certificate.
Education and experience
40 CFR 745.226(b)(1)(iii)(A) imposes no additional experience or education requirements on inspector applicants.
Time limit
Complete certification, including passing the inspector certification examination and receiving the EPA certificate, within six months after the course completion certificate. EPA recommends applying within 30 days of initial training.
Training
Successfully complete an accredited initial inspector training course and obtain its course completion certificate. Course completion and its training assessments are applicant training conditions.
Unsuccessful or late initial application
If the examination is not passed and the EPA certificate is not received within six months, retake the appropriate accredited course before reapplying. Work under expired interim certification is prohibited.
Recertification following proficiency test training
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Apply electronically with a PDF of the training certificate, passport photograph and applicable fee payment.
Epa page instruction
The EPA Individual Recertification page, last updated June 25, 2026, additionally states: "When your application for recertification is approved, EPA will issue you a certificate that begins on your current expiration date and expires three years from that date." The regulation controls the five-year route; this implementation instruction is retained for applicants.
Examination waiver
EPA requires no third-party certification examination for recertification, including when an initial course is used instead of a refresher course.
Existing certification
Hold EPA certification in the inspector discipline and obtain recertification before that certification expires.
Recommended timing
EPA recommends submitting the application no later than 90 days before expiry and taking refresher training no earlier than 18 months before expiry.
Refresher training
Successfully complete the appropriate accredited inspector refresher training course; it must be accredited by EPA or an EPA-authorized state or tribal program. If a refresher course cannot be found, EPA permits successful completion of the entire accredited initial inspector course instead. Training assessments remain course-completion conditions.
Renewal interval
The controlling regulation, 40 CFR 745.226(e)(1)(ii), provides recertification every five years for this training basis.
Training basis
40 CFR 745.226(e)(1)(ii) specifies a training course with a proficiency test.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Recertification following course test and hands on training
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Apply electronically with a PDF of the training certificate, passport photograph and applicable fee payment.
Examination waiver
EPA requires no third-party certification examination for recertification, including when an initial course is used instead of a refresher course.
Existing certification
Hold EPA certification in the inspector discipline and obtain recertification before that certification expires.
Recommended timing
EPA recommends submitting the application no later than 90 days before expiry and taking refresher training no earlier than 18 months before expiry.
Refresher training
Successfully complete the appropriate accredited inspector refresher training course; it must be accredited by EPA or an EPA-authorized state or tribal program. If a refresher course cannot be found, EPA permits successful completion of the entire accredited initial inspector course instead. Training assessments remain course-completion conditions.
Renewal interval
Recertification every three years under 40 CFR 745.226(e)(1)(i).
Training basis
40 CFR 745.226(e)(1)(i) specifies training with a course test and hands-on assessment.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Certification based on a valid EPA authorized program certificate
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit the currently valid certificate, passport photograph and applicable fee payment to EPA electronically.
Existing certification
Hold a currently valid inspector certificate, license or equivalent from an EPA-authorized state or tribal lead-based paint activities program and attach its PDF to the electronic EPA application. This prior credential is an applicant condition; no other jurisdiction examination is a leaf.
Waiver
EPA expressly waives its accredited initial training course and third-party certification examination for this route.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Inspector interim certification

The accredited initial inspector course completion certificate serves as temporary certification pending the next available EPA certification examination opportunity, for no longer than six months.

Licensing authority: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) · Application information

Interim certification following accredited initial inspector training
EPA Lead-Based Paint Inspector Certification Exam
Conversion
Complete the EPA application and inspector certification examination to obtain ordinary certification before the interim certificate expires; otherwise stop conducting lead-based paint activities.
Education and experience
Inspectors have no additional education or experience prerequisites beyond accredited training.
Examination timing
The inspector certification examination is involved prospectively: interim certification runs until the next available opportunity to take that examination and expires six months after issuance. Passing it is not required to begin work under the interim certificate.
Training
Successfully complete an accredited initial inspector training course and receive the course completion certificate, which serves as interim certification.

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