Lead-Safe Ordinance Update - Notice of Violations Phase 1 - They're are on the way!
The Toledo, Ohio Lead-Safe Ordinance Phase 1 deadline of December 31, 2025, has passed. Beginning January 1 of 2026, a Notice of Violation (NOV) will be issued.
The Lead-Safe Ordinance Phase 1 deadline of December 31, 2025, has passed.
The City of Toledo Phase 2 has started with a deadline of June 30, 2026.
I’m going to stay focused on Phase 1 and what happens next.
Beginning January 1 of 2026, a Notice of Violation (NOV) will be issued.
Any Phase 1 unit (link to map) without a valid Lead-Safe Certificate will be issued a NOV. Owners will have 45 additional days from the date of the Notice of Violation to achieve compliance.
If the property unit is still not compliant, the case will be sent to the Toledo Municipal Court.
If the property remains non-compliant after the 45-day period, the case will be sent to the Toledo Municipal Court for failure to comply with the Lead-Safe Ordinance.
The Court will then determine the next steps and all scheduling.
What’s The City of Toledo’s Communication to the Property Owners?
Owners will receive formal written notices at each step of the process.
Instructions for compliance are included directly in the NOV.
Inspectors do not advise owners on appeals or extensions.
Nobody really knows exactly how the court will handle each of these NOV’s. Will the court consider whether you have started the inspection process? Will the fact that we’re in the dead of Winter and exterior painting? It’s out of the question!
Here’s what we know from the City of Toledo… Failure to comply may result in the following penalties:
A first-degree misdemeanor, which carries a maximum penalty of 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
The Toledo Blade wrote that more than 6,500 properties are subject to the deadline, and only 1,516 have received a certificate as of Dec. 18 — a compliance rate of under 25 percent, according to the city.
A lot of NOV’s will be mailed out by the city. I know some of you are going to test the waters to see what happens next. From this vantage point, the waters seem pretty rocky, and the coast is unclear. You do have a way to make the navigation smoother for yourself.
My advice… get a Visual Pre-Inspection with a Maintenance Report that includes pictures so you know what you have and what your options are moving forward.
Questions? Give the Lead Paint Detectives a call, email, visit leadpaintdetectives.com, contact us, or reach out on our socials!
