Radon Testing for Schools and Childcare Centers
Maryland doesn't require it by law, but EPA's own national survey found nearly one in five schools had a room above the action level — which is why testing, not a mandate, is what actually protects students.
Direct answer
Maryland has no state law requiring schools or licensed childcare centers to test for radon. Testing them anyway is still one of the more evidence-backed calls a school system or childcare operator can make: EPA's 1990 National School Radon Survey found that nearly one in five U.S. schools had at least one frequently occupied room above the 4 pCi/L action level, and EPA estimates more than 70,000 schoolrooms in use today have elevated short-term radon levels.
Is radon testing required for schools or childcare centers in Maryland?
No. There's no statewide Maryland law mandating radon testing for public schools, private schools, or licensed childcare centers. Maryland's childcare licensing regulations (COMAR Title 13A, Subtitle 16) govern facility health and safety standards but do not include a radon testing requirement. Some individual school districts or facilities may choose to test as part of their own indoor air quality program, but that's a local or voluntary decision, not a state mandate — we won't tell you otherwise.
Why EPA still recommends testing anyway
EPA's radon program recommends that all schools be tested, mandate or not, because of what its own research found: the 1990 National School Radon Survey estimated that nearly one in five schools nationwide had at least one schoolroom with short-term radon levels above 4 pCi/L, and EPA's current guidance states that more than 70,000 schoolrooms in use today have high short-term radon levels. Children and staff spend a large share of their waking hours in these buildings, and ground-contact classrooms, portable/modular classroom units, and below-grade daycare spaces are exactly the layouts where radon tends to concentrate.
How school and childcare testing is planned
A school or childcare radon testing plan generally prioritizes frequently occupied, ground-contact and below-grade rooms first — classrooms, daycare rooms, offices, and gyms with floors on or below grade — since radon enters through soil contact and dilutes with height and distance from the foundation. Testing typically needs to work around the building's occupied schedule (closed-house conditions and minimal foot traffic during the test window), and a facility with multiple wings or portable classrooms usually needs a multi-monitor plan rather than a single test for the whole site — similar to the zone-based approach used for larger commercial buildings.
How RADON & CO helps
RADON & CO plans and runs multi-room, multi-zone radon testing for schools and childcare centers around your building's schedule, and provides a clear electronic report administrators can share with facilities staff, licensing officials, or parents. See our school & childcare radon testing page for scheduling.
Frequently asked questions
Is radon testing legally required for schools or childcare centers in Maryland?
No. Maryland has no statewide law mandating radon testing for schools, private schools, or licensed childcare centers.
What did EPA's national school radon survey find?
Nearly one in five U.S. schools had at least one frequently occupied room above the 4 pCi/L action level, and EPA estimates more than 70,000 schoolrooms currently in use have elevated short-term radon levels.
Which rooms should be prioritized when testing a school or childcare facility?
Ground-contact and below-grade rooms that are frequently occupied — classrooms, daycare rooms, offices, gyms, and portable/modular classroom units — since radon enters from soil contact and concentrates closest to grade.
Official sources
- EPA: Radon in Schools
- EPA: Health Risk of Radon
- COMAR Title 13A, Subtitle 16: Child Care Centers (Maryland)
Disclaimer: This page is educational and does not replace legal, licensing, or environmental consultant guidance. Confirm current requirements with the Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care and your local school system.