Lead paint testing labs in Maryland
4 labs on EPA’s NLLAP list · updated October 14, 2026
About this list
EPA’s NLLAP list (October, 2026 Round 132, Month 3 of 3, updated October 14, 2026) names 4 commercially available labs in Maryland. The list prints company, city and phone only.
Sorted A to Z. A listing is not an endorsement and does not say whether the lab takes samples from homeowners. Confirm the test you need with the lab before you send samples.
Accreditation as listed by EPA NLLAP on October 14, 2026; confirm with the lab.
Commercially available lead labs in Maryland (4)
| Lab | City | Recognized for | Accrediting organization | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMA Analytical Services, Inc. | Lanham | paint chips, dust wipes, soil | AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs | (301) 459-2640 |
| EMSL Analytical, Inc. | Beltsville | paint chips, dust wipes, soil | AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs | (301) 303-2561 |
| Microbac Laboratories, Inc. | Baltimore | paint chips, dust wipes | American Association for Laboratory Accreditation | (412) 301-4048 ext 48 |
| Nan Technologies, Inc. | Halethorpe | dust wipes | AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs | (410) 800-4263 |
Maryland lead rules in brief
- Who runs the program: Maryland's lead paint abatement accreditation and training rules are Maryland Department of the Environment regulations (COMAR Title 26, Subtitle 16). They set accreditation standards for contractors, supervisors, inspectors, project designers and trainers providing lead paint abatement services, and training requirements for abatement workers. (COMAR 26.16.01) source
- Renovation and abatement rules: Maryland is not on EPA's list of states authorized to run their own RRP program, so EPA runs the RRP program there, and it has an EPA-authorized lead-based paint (abatement, inspection and risk assessment) program. (TSCA sections 402 and 404; 40 CFR Part 745) source
- State rule to know: Maryland has its own lead rules for residential rental housing (COMAR 26.16.02), including a certificate that verifies a rental unit meets the state's lead risk reduction standard under Environment Article §6-815. (COMAR 26.16.02; Environment Article §6-815) source
Read on the official pages linked, November 15, 2026, and re-checked by a second reader. A summary, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the agency before work starts.
Older homes in Maryland and where the labs are
In Maryland, 1,311,002 of 2,560,784 housing units (51%) were built before 1980, rank 21 of 45 states and DC by that share (Census ACS 2020–2024, table B25034). Homes of that age are the ones most likely to contain lead-based paint (EPA: homes built before 1978). The counties with the most older homes, and how far each is from the nearest NLLAP-recognized lead lab:
| County | Homes built before 1980 | Share of homes | Nearest listed lab site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City | 240,794 | 82% | 2 mi: Microbac Laboratories, Inc., Baltimore |
| Baltimore County | 207,945 | 59% | 9 mi: Microbac Laboratories, Inc., Baltimore |
| Montgomery County | 200,525 | 49% | 13 mi: EMSL Analytical, Inc., Beltsville |
| Prince George's County | 196,505 | 54% | 5 mi: AMA Analytical Services, Inc., Lanham |
| Anne Arundel County | 106,243 | 45% | 14 mi: AMA Analytical Services, Inc., Lanham |
| Harford County | 41,649 | 39% | 22 mi: Microbac Laboratories, Inc., Baltimore |
| Frederick County | 37,601 | 35% | 39 mi: EMSL Analytical, Inc., Beltsville |
| Washington County | 36,678 | 57% | 59 mi: EMSL Analytical, Inc., Beltsville |
Over 50 miles from the nearest listed site: Washington County. Many labs accept samples by mail; ask before you ship. Distance runs from the county’s centre (mean of its ZIP-code points) to the lab’s ZIP-code point, in a straight line. EPA’s NLLAP list prints a city but no ZIP code; a lab known only from that list is placed at its city’s most common ZIP code. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25034 (Year structure built), county level, downloaded November 15, 2026.
How far the labs stretch in Maryland
Maryland has 4 listed lead lab sites for about 1,311,002 homes built before 1980: one site per 327,750 older homes, the 29th most stretched of 32 states with a listed site (the middle state has one per 717,498).
- 3 of the 4 sites are accredited for paint chips (paint chips scraped from walls, trim or windows).
- 4 of the 4 sites are accredited for dust wipes (dust wipes from floors and window sills, the test used after renovation).
- 2 of the 4 sites are accredited for soil (soil from play areas and the drip line around the house).
Counts from the accreditation list; homes from Census ACS 2020–2024 (B25034). A site count, not capacity: one lab can process many samples, and many accept samples by mail.
Other states: all states.
Other home hazard tests: Asbestos testing · Mold testing.