​​​1. What is the Rhode Island Rental Registry?
The Rhode Island Rental Registry is a state-wide database for property owners to register their rental properties and provide essential information. The Rhode Island Rental Registry will help maintain lead-safe housing standards across Rhode Island. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (RIGL 34-18-58) established the requirement for landlords to provide this information in the Rhode Island Rental Registry.

2. Who needs to register with the Rhode Island Rental Registry?
All property owners who rent out residential properties in Rhode Island must register their properties with the Rhode Island Rental Registry. This includes single-family homes, multi-family units, condos and apartment complexes. Tenants or renters do not need to enter any information in the Rhode Island Rental Registry.

3. How do I register my rental property?
To register, you need to create an account on the Rhode Island Rental Registry website. Once logged in, you will enter details about your property, the property manager, and provide any required documentation. The dashboard includes step-by-step instructions for registering your property.

4. What information do I need to provide during registration?
You must provide the following information:
    • Names of landlords or business entities responsible for leasing
    • Active business or home address
    • Active email address
    • Active telephone number
    • Property manager or management company details (if applicable)
    • Information to identify each dwelling unit
    • Date current occupancy started
    • Proof of a lead certificate, if required
Any of the above information will be made publicly available according to the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (RIGL 34-18-58).

5. Can I use a Rhode Island state government (@ri.gov) email address to register?
No, you cannot use a state government email address.

6. Can I save my progress and edit the information before submitting it?
Yes, your progress is automatically saved after you submit a rental unit or property. You can edit this information at any time.

7. Can I edit my property information after I submit it?
Yes, you can edit your property information at any time. Please carefully review all entries to be sure you are providing complete and accurate information. Inaccuracies or omissions could result in fines.

8. Is there a fee to register my rental property?
No, there is not a registration fee.

9. What happens if I don't register my rental property?
Failure to register your rental property by October 1, 2024 can result in penalties, including monthly fines. It is important to comply with the registration requirements to avoid any legal or financial consequences.

Fines and legal consequences for failure to register:
    • Landlords who do not meet the requirement to register in the Rhode Island Rental Registry are subject to a civil fine of at least $50, per unit, per month.
    • Landlords who do not meet the requirement to provide a valid lead certificate are subject to a civil fine of at least $125 per unit, per month.      • Landlords are not able to file for eviction for nonpayment of rent unless they are registered in the Rhode Island Rental Registry and provide the court with evidence of compliance.
    • Rhode Island Department of Health may seek injunctive relief and additional civil penalties of up to $50 per violation against landlords who repeatedly fail to comply with subsection (a) of R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58.
    • The Office of the Attorney General nay seek injunctive relief and additional civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation against landlords who repeatedly fail to comply with subsection (b) of R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58

10. How do I update my property information if something changes?
To update or edit the information you provided, sign in to the Rental Registry. Find the entry you would like to edit. Click the blue box with the white arrow to open the menu options. Select edit.

11. What should I do if I sell a property?
If you have sold the property, you can remove it from your registration. Sign in to the Rental Registry. Find the property entry in your dashboard. Click the blue box with the white arrow to open the menu options. Select delete.

12. How often do I need to update my registration?
You are required to update your registration by October 1 each year. New property owners or landlords must register within 30 days of acquisition or leasing.

13. How do I get a Certificate of Lead Conformance or lead certificate if I do not have one?
Lead certificates are issued after a property passes an inspection by a licensed lead inspector. Learn more about how to get a lead certificate at www.lead1978.com.

14. Where can I find more information about the law?
Refer to the full text of R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58 for more detailed information.

15. Where can I find help if I have questions about the registration process?
If you have any questions or need assistance with the registration process, you can contact our support team via phone, 401-222-7796, email rentalregistry@health.ri.gov, or by clicking the Contact Us button at the top of this page. 

16. What if I cannot register by October 1, 2024?
RIDOH is not planning to issue fines on October 1, 2024, but you should take steps to begin the registration process as soon as possible. We are currently focused on educating landlords about this new requirement. We understand it will take some time to have an inspection conducted by a licensed lead inspector and to get a certificate of lead conformance or lead certificate. Visit www.lead1978.com for more information about lead certificates and how to get one.

Even though you won’t be fined on October 1, 2024, you should know that not registering will impact your ability to evict a tenant for nonpayment of rent. As of October 1, 2024, landlords will not be able to file for eviction for nonpayment of rent unless they are registered in the Rhode Island Rental Registry and provide the court with evidence of compliance. If you are required to have a lead certificate and do not have one, you will not be able to complete your registration.

17. When will the department start issuing fines?
Before we begin issuing fines, we will let the public know before through updates on this webpage and RIDOH’s social media.

18. Are these lead laws new?
The requirement to have a lead certificate is not new. The Lead Hazard Mitigation Act was passed in 2002 and enacted in 2005. It was updated in 2024 to remove owner occupied property exemptions for rental units. The requirement to register is new. The law establishing the Rental Registry was passed in 2023 and went into effect January 1, 2024. Despite many years of outreach, over 1000 children in Rhode Island have high blood lead levels each year, and a majority of housing has still not been deemed lead safe.

19. Do short-term rentals need to register?
Yes, we recommend short-term rentals, such as AirBnB and summer rentals, register.

20. Do short-term rentals need lead certificates?
Short-term rentals that meet the following definition of “temporary housing” from the Lead Hazard Mitigation Act do not need a lead certificate. If your property meets this definition, you can select the “temporary housing” definition. "Temporary housing" means any seasonal place of residence that is rented for no more than one hundred (100) days per calendar year to the same tenant, where no lease renewal or extension can occur, and any emergency shelter intended for night-to-night accommodation.”

21. My house was built before 1978 however it has been gutted to studs and rebuilt. Do I still need a lead certificate?
Yes, you still need a lead inspection and a lead certificate. You can ask your lead inspector to perform a Comprehensive Environmental Lead Inspection to get a Full Lead Safe Certificate, which does not expire. Alternatively, you can have a Lead Hazard Mitigation Inspection and get a Certificate of Lead Conformance, which is valid for two years. The Certificate of Lead Conformance will need to be renewed.