License check
How to check an asbestos or lead abatement license in Suffolk or Nassau
A license number takes a minute to check and tells you the company can legally do the work. Here is who issues it in each county, where to look it up, and what else to ask, from the official pages we read on 2026-11-03.
What New York State and federal rules say
- Industrial Code Rule 56 bars an asbestos contractor from an asbestos project unless the contractor holds a valid asbestos handling license issued by the state Commissioner of Labor.
- Firms working as asbestos abatement contractors, management planners, project designers, project monitors, allied trades people, inspectors or air sampling monitors must each obtain an asbestos handling license.
- The state's asbestos exemption covers an owner-occupied single-family home when the homeowner lives there and does the work alone.
- The EPA's lead abatement certification, also called Lead-Based Paint Activities certification, is a specialized certification for firms that specifically work with lead-based paint, such as lead abatement, risk assessor and inspection firms.
- EPA says RRP certification suits firms that disturb paint in pre-1978 homes simply as a consequence of doing other work, which sets it apart from abatement certification.
- Lead abatement workers may conduct abatement under the direction of certified abatement supervisors, who may supervise projects and prepare occupant protection plans and abatement reports.
In Suffolk County
- 1Step 1The state Department of Labor's Asbestos Control Bureau page sends anyone looking for an asbestos contractor nearby to its Asbestos Contractors Listing page.
- 2Step 2For lead, the EPA's lead-based paint professional locator lets you choose lead-based paint abatement, which it describes as work to eliminate lead-based hazards in the home.
In Nassau County
- 1Step 1To find an asbestos contractor near a Nassau home, the Department of Labor's Asbestos Control Bureau page refers you to its Asbestos Contractors Listing page.
- 2Step 2The EPA's lead-based paint professional locator helps find lead-based paint professionals in your area, including firms that do lead-based paint abatement.
Towns with a license of their own
- Town of Shelter Island: Shelter Island's notice to contractors says every contractor or subcontractor working on the island, landscapers included, needs a town license.
Beyond the license
- Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you by the insurer, naming you as the certificate holder.
- Ask who files the permit and books the inspections, and get it in the contract.
- Get the price, the scope, the start and finish dates and the payment schedule in a written contract.
Related
Questions homeowners ask
Who can remove asbestos in New York?
Asbestos work is licensed by the New York State Department of Labor. Ask for the company license and workers' certificates.
Does lead paint need special handling?
For homes built before 1978, federal rules require certified firms and lead-safe practices when work disturbs paint.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these official pages. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the office before you file anything.
- NYS Department of Labor, Industrial Code Rule 56, asbestos (PDF) (read 2026-11-03; page dated 04/18)
- NYS Department of Labor, asbestos survey requirements for building permit applicants (P231) (read 2026-11-03; page dated 1/26)
- U.S. EPA, Frequent Questions about Lead Abatement, Risk Assessment and Inspection (read 2026-11-03; page dated October 20, 2026)
- NYS Department of Labor, Asbestos Control Bureau (read 2026-11-03)
- U.S. EPA, lead-based paint professional locator (read 2026-11-03)
- Town of Shelter Island, Notice to All Contractors (read 2026-11-03)
Checked 2026-11-03. Facts come only from the official pages listed, read on that date.
Talk the job through before you call anyone
Tell us about the house and the job in about four minutes. Revival calls you, free, to go over the scope, the budget, the timing and your town's permit office. Contractor matches open as our first licensed partners sign.