Can I Remove Lead Paint Myself in Missouri? The Owner Rule

Can I remove lead paint myself in Missouri?

Only in narrow cases. Missouri licenses lead abatement work, but it excuses owners of their own homes if three conditions all hold. First, you own the dwelling and do the work personally. Second, only you or your immediate family live there while the work is done. Third, no child living in the building has been identified as having an elevated blood lead level. Miss any one, and you need a licensed professional. The exception also applies only to the extent federal regulations permit.

Even when the exception applies, the statute adds a duty: before you start, you must consult the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) about the best method and proper procedures. And a legal exception is not a safety guarantee. The sections below separate the two.

What does Missouri require for lead abatement?

A license. DHSS lists the roles that need one: lead abatement workers and supervisors, inspectors, risk assessors, project designers, and the companies that employ them. It also says anyone performing abatement strategies, meaning removal, replacement, enclosure and encapsulation, must be licensed by DHSS and provide notification to the Department as required.

The words matter. Abatement is not the same as painting over or renovating. Our glossary defines lead abatement, and our lead abatement page explains the service. DHSS also notes that EPA’s renovation rule, the RRP rule, did not change federal or state abatement rules.

Who can use the owner exception?

Owners who live in the dwelling with only their immediate family. The statute names “an individual who is an owner, a partner in a partnership owning, or a corporate officer in a corporation owning a dwelling.” It says they may personally perform abatement in a dwelling they own. It also says this applies “to the extent permitted by federal regulations.”

Use the table to check your own case.

Your situation	Owner exception applies?	What to do
You own the house, live there with your family, no child has an elevated blood lead level	Yes, if you do the work yourself	Consult DHSS before you start. Think hard about safety
You own a rental and tenants live there	No. The statute excludes dwellings occupied by anyone other than the owner or immediate family	Hire a licensed lead abatement contractor
You own the house and a child living there has an elevated blood lead level	No	Use a licensed professional. Talk to your health care provider
You want to hire a friend, handyman or general contractor to do the abatement	No. The exception covers the owner personally performing the work	The person doing it needs to be licensed
You rent the home	No	Tell your landlord and keep children away from damaged paint. Contact the health department
You own the home but the paint work is renovation, not abatement	Different rules apply	See the RRP section below

What is the difference between abatement and renovation?

Abatement permanently deals with lead-based paint by removing it, replacing the part, enclosing it, or sealing it. Renovation is remodeling that happens to disturb paint, such as replacing a window or sanding a door. EPA says that just painting over the paint hazards with regular paint will not permanently address lead-based paint hazards, so a fresh coat is not abatement.

Renovation work in pre-1978 housing falls under EPA’s RRP rule. DHSS says that rule did not change state abatement rules, so a project can be renovation under one rule and abatement under the other. EPA says that, generally speaking, the RRP Rule does not apply to homeowners doing projects in their own home. However, it does apply if you rent all or part of your home, operate a child care center in your home, or buy, renovate and sell homes for profit. If you are unsure which one your job is, ask DHSS before you start.

If you do not know whether the paint has lead, find out before you do anything else. Our post on how to tell if paint has lead lays out the testing options, and the glossary explains lead-based paint.

Is DIY lead paint removal safe, even if it is legal?

Often not. A license rule and a safety rule are different things. EPA says abatement can involve specialized techniques not typically performed by most residential contractors. If a regular contractor may not have the training, a first-time owner with a sander or a scraper is at more risk.

EPA warns that scraping, drilling, cutting, opening walls and removing trim create dust that may contain lead. Dry sanding and scraping are the usual DIY methods, and they make the most dust. Open flames, high heat and power washing are not on EPA’s list of do-it-yourself tools. EPA also says that if painted surfaces are deteriorating, this may create a hazard that requires immediate attention and a certified lead professional should be hired.

Questions to ask yourself before choosing DIY:

Have I confirmed by testing that this paint contains lead?
Is a child under six or a pregnant person living in or visiting the home?
Do I have the training and equipment to contain dust, protect myself and clean up?
Do I know where the waste goes?
Have I called DHSS, as the statute requires, before I start?

If you answer no to any of these, hiring a licensed professional is the better choice.

If I do the work myself, what does EPA say to do?

EPA lists lead-safe practices for do-it-yourselfers doing renovation, repair and painting work in a pre-1978 home. They are a floor, not a license to abate. EPA warns that as you scrape, drill, cut, open walls, remove trim or demolish, you create dust that may contain lead. These are the practices that matter most.

Step	What EPA lists	Why it matters
Keep dust down	A spray mister or pump sprayer to mist areas before sanding, scraping, drilling and cutting	Wet paint makes less airborne dust
Control heat	A low-temperature heat gun, under 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, to remove paint	EPA lists only a low-temperature gun, so keep the heat under that limit
Protect your lungs	A disposable N-100 certified respirator	EPA names this respirator, not a basic dust mask
Seal the work area	Plastic sheeting, sealed doors, and no forced-air heating or cooling running	Dust stays in the room instead of the house
Clean as you go	A HEPA vacuum and wet cleaning at the end of every day	Leftover dust is the hazard EPA warns about
Control waste	Heavy plastic sheeting or bags, sealed with duct tape	Chips and dust do not spread on the way out

EPA says most waste from routine residential renovation counts as solid, non-hazardous waste and should go to a licensed solid waste landfill, but you should always check local and state disposal requirements first. That advice covers renovation. Ask DHSS how waste from a Missouri abatement project must be handled.

What do I do first, step by step?

Confirm lead. Hire a certified inspector or risk assessor. In Missouri, paint chip sampling must be performed by a licensed lead-based paint inspector or risk assessor.
Check the three owner conditions. Who lives in the home? Is any child identified with an elevated blood lead level?
Call DHSS. The statute requires the owner to consult the department before abatement. Use the contact details on the DHSS Lead Licensing page.
Decide what comes first. Peeling, chipping or high-wear surfaces are a higher priority than intact paint. EPA says deteriorating paint may need immediate attention.
Get quotes from licensed contractors if you are not using the exception, or if anything in your situation falls outside it.

St. Louis residents can also look at local resources, including the City’s lead programs, in our lead help in St. Louis guide. Our guide to lead paint in pre-1978 homes explains the age line and the health risks, and the lead paint facts page covers symptoms.

Next step

If you want a licensed professional to look at lead paint in your home, call Advanced Environmental Services at (314) 865-2662 or use the contact form. Start with our lead abatement page.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Missouri homeowner remove their own lead paint legally?

Sometimes. DHSS says no license is required if you are abating your own home or dwelling unit, only you or your immediate family live there, and no child identified with an elevated blood lead level lives in the building. State law also tells the owner to consult the department before starting.

Can a landlord remove lead paint in a rental without a license?

Not under the owner rule. The statute lets an owner abate a dwelling they own unless someone other than the owner or the owner's immediate family occupies it while the work is done. A rental with tenants in it falls outside that exception, so a licensed lead abatement contractor is needed.

What if a child in my house has a high blood lead level?

Then the owner exception does not apply. DHSS and the statute both say the exception ends if a child residing in the building has been identified as having an elevated blood lead level. Call your health care provider and the health department, and use a licensed professional for the abatement.

Does the owner exception mean it is safe to DIY?

No. The exception is about licensing, not safety. EPA says abatement can involve specialized techniques not typically performed by most residential contractors. Sanding, scraping or burning old paint can create lead dust and fumes. Consult DHSS first, as the statute requires, and weigh hiring a pro.

Can I hire a handyman to take the lead paint off?

Not safely, unless the handyman is licensed. DHSS says anyone performing abatement strategies, meaning removal, replacement, enclosure and encapsulation, must be licensed and provide notification as required. The owner exception covers the owner personally performing the work, not someone you hire.

Where does lead paint waste go?

EPA says most waste from routine residential renovation counts as solid, non-hazardous waste and should go to a licensed solid waste landfill, but you must check local and state disposal rules first. That EPA page is about renovation. Ask DHSS how waste from an abatement project must be handled.

Terms on this page

Sources

Written by Advanced Environmental Services and checked against the sources above on June 24, 2026. Rules change, so check the linked page before you act.