Washington Lead-Safe Renovation (RRP) Requirements

Washington runs its own Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) program through the Washington State Department of Commerce. Contractors should use Washington's application path instead of defaulting to EPA CDX or a generic federal firm-certification workflow.

What work is covered

• Renovation, repair, or painting that disturbs painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes or child-occupied facilities
• Businesses, property managers, and landlords that offer, bid, or contract for covered work in Washington
• Jobs where a certified renovator must supervise or perform the lead-safe work practices used by the crew

How Washington certification works

• Firm RRP certification is the filing path for businesses that offer or perform covered renovation work in Washington
• The firm must have an owner or employee with individual RRP certification that is still valid and not within six months of expiration
• Washington says RRP certificates are valid up to 5 years
• The Washington training page says renovator training is required every 5 years, with online refreshers valid for 3 years and allowed only every other cycle
• Washington also says there is no grace period for certifications; once expired, the person must take the initial course again

Fees and filing posture

• Firm application / recertification: $25 per application, payable to the Washington State Department of Commerce
• Out-of-state or EPA-certified individual registration: $25 per application when filing into the Washington system
• Individuals who complete a Washington-accredited training course do not self-mail a separate standard registration packet; the training provider submits the registration after course completion

Washington-specific operational points

• Washington publishes separate firm and individual RRP application forms
• If a company is not already Washington-certified, an incoming EPA or out-of-state renovator may need to file both the individual registration and the firm application at the same time
• Commerce expects supporting business registrations such as the Washington business license and, when applicable, an L&I contractor license to be in place for the firm path
• If the work is actually lead abatement, inspection, or risk assessment rather than renovation, Washington uses the separate LBPA program instead of the RRP program

Renewal posture

• Treat the firm and renovator credentials as part of a Washington-specific five-year certification framework, not as a federal-only filing
• Track the six-month validity buffer Commerce lists for supporting individual certificates on the firm application
• Keep current certificates, project records, and training documentation available for contract compliance and enforcement review

*Disclaimer: This information is provided for general reference only and does not constitute legal advice. Verify current Washington lead-safe renovation requirements directly with the Washington State Department of Commerce before offering, bidding, or performing covered work.*