On July 9th, 2010 The Massachusetts Department of Occupational Safety took over administration and enforcement of the RRP rule from the EPA. Although similar to the EPA rule, the MA RRP rule does differ in many ways. Contractors doing RRP related work in MA should read the MA Regulations to understand the differences.
To do RRP work in MA, renovators should first become licensed to do so. There could be some confusion about this if you are already a Certified Firm through the EPA. Here is some clarification from the MA DOS web site's FAQ page:
Question: How much will I have to pay for a “Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor License?”
DOS Responds: As of July 9, 2010, the fee charged for a Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor License pursuant to 454 CMR 22.00 and 801 CMR 4.02 is $300 plus $75 in surcharges for a five-year license. Fees are set periodically by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance
Question: I applied to EPA for certification as a “Certified Firm” before DOS began enforcing its RRP-related requirements. Will I have to get another license from DOS in order to perform RRP-related work in Massachusetts?
DOS Responds: If you submitted an application to EPA to become certified as a “Certified Firm” before July 9, 2010, you will not need to obtain a “Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor License” from DOS until the certification that you received from EPA expires. Save mailing receipts. As provided by 454 CMR 22.03(3)(b) and 22.04(3), you will need to apply for a Contractor Licensing Waiver in order to legally perform Renovation Work in Massachusetts, however. You will not be required to pay another licensing fee in order to get this waiver. If you applied for EPA certification after July 9, 2010, you will need to become licensed as a “Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor” pursuant to 454 CMR 22.00 in order to perform RRP-related work in Massachusetts.