Do you have to test for radon to sell your house in Rhode Island? Starting June 1, 2027, for most homes, yes. If your purchase and sale agreement is signed on or after that date, a licensed tester has to test the house before closing, and a high result has to be fixed or escrowed. The law doesn't say who pays for the fix. Sandi Warner, Managing Broker Owner of Warner Realty Group in Newport and a licensed Rhode Island attorney, explains what the new law requires, which sales are exempt, and what sellers should do now.
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What is radon, and how does it get into a house?
Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from uranium breaking down in the soil and rock under your house. Outdoors it spreads out and isn't a problem. Indoors it's different. A house pulls air up from the ground through cracks in the foundation, gaps around pipes, sump pits, and stone or dirt basement floors. Radon comes in with that air and gets trapped. It can also come in through well water.
You can't see it, smell it, or taste it, so the only way to know is to test. About one in four Rhode Island homes tests at or above the EPA action level, compared with about one in fifteen nationally. Old house, new house, Newport or Narragansett: if it sits on the ground, it can have radon.
How is radon testing handled in Rhode Island now?
Today, testing is the buyer's call. A Rhode Island buyer can order any inspections they like, and radon is usually an add-on to the structural and mechanical home inspection. The buyer pays for it. If the result is high, buyer and seller negotiate who pays to fix it. A mitigation system typically runs about $1,500 to $2,000, depending on the vendor.
That sounds manageable. But repair negotiations are where a fair number of deals fall apart, and a buyer who just learned there's radioactive gas in the basement isn't always in a generous mood.
What does the new Rhode Island radon law change?
Today, a radon test is the buyer's option. Starting with purchase and sale agreements signed on or after June 1, 2027, it's required. No test, no closing.
- A certified or licensed radon tester must do the test. A do-it-yourself kit doesn't count.
- The test can't be more than one year old on the closing date.
- The results go to the seller, the buyer, and the buyer's lender.
- Unsafe means above 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), the EPA action level.
The date that matters is when you sign, not when you close. A purchase and sale signed before June 1, 2027 isn't covered, even if the closing happens after.
Who pays for the radon test?
The seller can order the test before listing. If a licensed tester did it, the result is 4.0 or below, and it's no more than a year old at closing, the requirement is met. The buyer can still order their own test, but the law doesn't require one.
If the seller doesn't provide a clean test, the buyer orders one after the purchase and sale is signed and pays for it. That's the default. Buyer and seller can agree to handle the cost differently in the contract.
What happens if the radon test comes back high?
If the test comes back above 4.0, a licensed contractor has to install a radon mitigation system before closing. If there isn't enough time between the test result and the closing, the estimated cost goes into escrow until the work is done.
What the law doesn't say is who pays for that system. So it lands in the inspection negotiation, right next to the roof and the water heater. Except this item comes with the words "radioactive gas" attached, and that doesn't make buyers more flexible.
Which home sales are exempt from radon testing?
If you already have a mitigation system in place, you may be exempt. If a licensed contractor installed the system within the three years before you sign the purchase and sale agreement, the law doesn't require anything further. If the system is more than three years old, a radon test within the three years before you sign is enough.
Exempt doesn't mean bulletproof. Your buyer can still order their own test. If it comes back high with a system in place, that usually means the system isn't doing its job, and you'll be negotiating the repair anyway. And once you know about a high result, you have to disclose it, even if that buyer walks away.
The law also exempts:
- Sales by a lender that took the home through foreclosure or a deed in lieu of foreclosure
- Sheriff's sales, tax sales, and sales by foreclosure, partition, or court-appointed trustee
- Homes the buyer will tear down or convert to a non-residential use
- Transfers to heirs by will or inheritance
That last one covers the transfer to the family. If the estate then sells to an outside buyer, that sale needs a test.
What should I do if I'm selling in 2027?
- Test before you list. Same test, but now it's your timing and your result. Plan it so the result is still less than a year old at closing.
- If it's high, get a quote and price it in. A number you planned for is a line item. A number your buyer finds is leverage.
- If you already have a system, find the paperwork. The install date and your last test could save you the whole conversation.
Start with what your home is worth. Get your home's value or email info@warnerrealtygr.com, and we'll tell you what to test and when before you list.
Quick answers
Do I have to test for radon to sell my house in Rhode Island?
For most homes, yes, if the purchase and sale agreement is signed on or after June 1, 2027. A licensed radon tester must do the test, and it can't be more than one year old at closing. Agreements signed before June 1, 2027 aren't covered, even if they close after.
Can I use a do-it-yourself radon test kit?
No. The law requires a certified or licensed tester.
What radon level is too high?
Anything above 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), the EPA action level.
Who pays for the radon test?
If the seller doesn't provide a qualifying clean test, the buyer pays for a test done after the purchase and sale is signed, unless the parties agree otherwise.
Who pays for radon mitigation?
The law doesn't say. Buyer and seller negotiate it. A typical system runs about $1,500 to $2,000, depending on the vendor.
Which sales are exempt?
Homes with a mitigation system installed by a licensed contractor within three years before the purchase and sale, or an older system tested within that window. Also exempt: lender foreclosure sales, sheriff's, tax and court sales, homes being demolished or converted to non-residential use, and transfers to heirs by will or inheritance.
Key terms
Radon: a naturally occurring radioactive gas from uranium, thorium, or radium breaking down in soil, rock, and water.
pCi/L (picocuries per liter): the unit used to measure radon in indoor air.
Radon mitigation system: a vent pipe and fan that pull radon from under the house and release it outside.
Purchase and sale agreement: the signed contract between buyer and seller. Its signing date decides whether the new law applies.
R.I. Gen. Laws 5-20.8-14: Rhode Island's radon testing law for home sales, effective June 1, 2027.
About Sandi Warner
Sandi Warner is the Managing Broker Owner of Warner Realty Group in Newport, Rhode Island, a Realtor®, and a licensed Rhode Island attorney. She chairs the Rhode Island Association of Realtors® Risk Committee. Warner Realty Group helps buyers and sellers across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts and manages annual, seasonal, academic, and vacation rentals in Newport County.
Warner Realty Group, 358 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840
info@warnerrealtygr.com | 401-236-8685
General information, not legal advice. Talk to an attorney about your specific transaction.
Sources: 2026 S 2424 Substitute A, Relating to Businesses and Professions: Real Estate Sales Disclosures (signed June 18, 2026, effective June 1, 2027). Rhode Island Department of Health, Radon Data. Rhode Island Association of REALTORS®, Understanding Rhode Island's New Radon Testing Requirements (Oct. 2026). Find licensed radon testers and mitigation contractors through the RIDOH Radon Control Program.