If your home was built before 1978, treat old paint as possible lead paint until a test says otherwise. That covers most of Detroit, where large parts of the city were built between the 1900s and the 1950s. This page explains the federal and Michigan rules a painter works under, and the local rules on permits and historic districts.
This page is general information for Michigan property owners. It is not legal advice. Federal, state and city rules change, so check with the agency named before you rely on any of it.
My house was built before 1978. Do I need to worry about lead paint?
Yes, you should take it seriously, though sound paint that is left alone is not the main danger. Lead-based paint was banned for homes in the United States in 1978, and the older the house, the more likely it has some.
The risk comes from dust and chips. Sanding, scraping, cutting or demolishing old painted surfaces makes lead dust, and so does paint that is peeling or rubbing at windows and doors. Young children and pregnant women are most at risk. In a prewar Detroit house, the windows, trim, doors, porches and exterior siding are the likely places.
How do I know if old paint contains lead?
You find out by having it tested. The only ways to know if paint contains lead are a lead inspection, a risk assessment or a lab test of a paint chip.
In Michigan, lead inspectors and risk assessors are certified by the state through the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). By HomeGuide's national figures for 2026, a lead inspection costs $300 to $700 and a risk assessment $500 to $1,500. Those are not our prices. Store test kits cost $20 to $30 by the same source, but a positive or negative from a kit is less certain than a certified inspection.
Can you paint over lead paint, or must it be removed?
You can paint over lead paint that is intact, and it does not have to be removed. Sound lead paint under good new paint is a common and accepted condition in old houses. A special coating made to seal it in is called an encapsulant.
What you cannot do is dry sand, dry scrape or burn it off without controls. Peeling lead paint has to be made stable first using lead-safe methods. Full removal is abatement, which is a separate, regulated job. In Michigan a company doing lead abatement must be licensed by MDHHS, and its supervisors and workers need state abatement training. A painting contractor is not an abatement contractor unless it holds that certification.
What certification does a painter need for pre-1978 homes?
A painter who is paid to disturb paint in a home built before 1978 must work for an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm, and a certified renovator must be assigned to the job. This is the federal Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule. It also covers childcare facilities and preschools of that age.
Michigan does not run its own RRP program, so the EPA enforces the rule here directly. The rule allows minor repair work that disturbs 6 square feet or less of paint per room inside, or 20 square feet or less outside, without the full procedure. Owners working on a home they live in are generally exempt, but not if they rent the home out. Ask any painter you interview, us included, to show the firm certificate before work on an older home.
Do lead rules change the price?
Yes. Lead-safe work adds to the price, because it adds plastic sheeting, warning signs, tools with vacuum attachments, slower scraping and a careful clean-up that is checked at the end.
No published figure exists for that extra on a paint job. For full removal, HomeGuide's national figures are $6 to $17 per square foot, with encapsulation at $6 to $10 per square foot. A painter who quotes an old Detroit house far below the others and never mentions lead may have left those steps out.
Who is responsible for lead paint disclosure on a rental?
The landlord is. Under the federal disclosure rule, an owner who rents or sells housing built before 1978 must tell the tenant or buyer about any known lead paint and lead hazards, share any reports and give them the federal lead safety pamphlet before they sign.
Detroit adds its own rule. The city's rental ordinance requires owners of rental property built before 1978 to have a lead inspection and risk assessment done by a professional certified by the State of Michigan, to reduce any hazards found and to obtain a lead clearance as part of rental registration. BSEED runs that program. Landlords should confirm the current steps with BSEED, because the city has revised them over time.
Do I need a permit to paint the outside of my house?
No, not for painting alone. Michigan's construction code rules list painting, papering and similar finish work as exempt from a building permit, and Detroit's building department, BSEED, works under the state code.
A permit can come into it when the job grows: new siding, structural porch repairs, or scaffolding or a lift standing on the public sidewalk or street. HomeGuide lists scaffolding permits at $100 to $300 nationally. Ask BSEED or your own town's building office if you are unsure.
Do I need HOA approval to change my exterior color, and can the HOA fine me?
If your home is in an HOA or a condominium association, read its documents before you change an exterior color. Many associations require written approval of colors, and their bylaws often allow fines or an order to repaint.
Most houses inside Detroit are not in an HOA. Associations are common in suburban subdivisions and condo communities, in places such as Southfield. The rules are in your own recorded documents, not in a city code, so we cannot tell you what yours say. We can give you color samples and product details for an application.
Are there paint rules in a historic district?
Yes, in Detroit there are. The Detroit Historic District Commission states that its review and approval of exterior painting projects is required for buildings in the city's local historic districts, even though no building permit is needed.
The Commission publishes color systems, labeled A to F, that match palettes to the style and age of the building. Repainting surfaces that are already painted can often be approved by staff. Its guidelines say masonry that has not been painted historically should not be painted, and such a request would go to the full Commission. Indian Village and Boston-Edison are two of the districts. Apply before you buy paint. Other towns have their own rules, so ask your building department.
Do I need a permit to paint a storefront or commercial building?
Painting a storefront or commercial building does not normally need a building permit either. The same exemption for finish work applies.
Three things can still need approval: a building in a local historic district, a new or changed sign, and any equipment set up on the public sidewalk. A tenant should also get the landlord's consent in writing. Check with BSEED in Detroit, or the building department of your town, before work starts.
Call or text (313) 209-8467 with questions about an older home. This page is general information for Michigan property owners. It is not legal advice. Federal, state and city rules change, so check with the agency named before you rely on any of it.