Is radon disclosure required when selling a house?

There is no federal law requiring radon disclosure in home sales. Many states have their own requirements — Minnesota, Illinois, and Kansas, for example, mandate disclosure or a radon notice in residential sales contracts. Check your state's real estate disclosure law or consult a local real estate attorney to understand what is required where you live.

How much does radon mitigation cost?

The EPA estimates radon mitigation in most homes costs between $800 and $2,500 for a sub-slab depressurization system — the most common and effective method. The cost varies based on home size, foundation type, and local contractor rates. A post-mitigation test, typically $100 to $200, confirms that levels have dropped below the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L.

Will high radon levels prevent my house from selling?

High radon does not prevent a sale, but it can complicate a traditional listing. Buyers using FHA or VA financing may face lender requirements to complete mitigation before closing. Cash buyers have no such requirements and purchase radon-affected homes as-is. Disclosing the test results and either mitigating or pricing accordingly gives you the best chance of closing on a predictable timeline.

Can I sell a house with radon above 4 pCi/L without fixing it first?

Yes. Cash home buyers purchase properties with elevated radon levels without requiring mitigation before closing. The offer accounts for the cost of installing a system after purchase. You receive cash at closing, and the buyer handles all remediation. This is the fastest path for sellers who need to close quickly or do not want to manage the mitigation process.

Sell a House With Radon Problems

Selling a house with elevated radon — disclose, mitigate, or sell as-is for cash

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by uranium decay in soil and rock. It enters homes through cracks in foundations, floor-wall joints, and gaps around pipes — and because it is odorless and invisible, most homeowners only discover an elevated reading during a home sale inspection. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, approximately one in every fifteen U.S. homes has radon levels at or above the EPA action level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). If your home tests high, selling is still very possible — you have three clear paths, and one of them requires no repairs at all.

What Is the EPA Radon Action Level, and Should I Be Worried?

The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon in any home that tests at 4 pCi/L or higher, and recommends considering mitigation for levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L. For context, the average indoor radon level in U.S. homes is 1.3 pCi/L. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after tobacco smoke, and the EPA estimates approximately 21,000 radon-related lung cancer deaths occur annually, according to the agency's Basic Radon Facts Factsheet (January 2023). A reading above 4 pCi/L is a health concern — but it is also a solvable problem that does not have to derail your home sale.

Do I Have to Disclose Radon When Selling a House?

There is no federal law that mandates radon disclosure in residential home sales. However, many states have enacted their own disclosure requirements. Minnesota's Radon Awareness Act, Illinois's Radon Awareness Act, and Kansas's residential sales contract notice requirement are examples of state-level mandates. According to the AARST Homebuyer Awareness Notification Law Toolkit (June 2024), disclosure requirements vary significantly by state — some require sellers to disclose known test results, others require providing a government radon pamphlet, and some have no specific requirement.

Regardless of your state's law, failing to disclose a known radon problem can create legal liability after closing. Best practice is to share any test results you have and consult a local real estate attorney if you are uncertain about your state's specific requirements before listing.

What Are My Options for Selling a House With High Radon?

You have three practical paths when selling a radon-affected home:

Install a mitigation system before listing: A sub-slab depressurization (SSD) system — a pipe and fan that vents radon before it enters the living space — is the most common solution. The EPA estimates installation costs typically between $800 and $2,500. A post-mitigation test then confirms the home is below the action level, giving you a clean disclosure and removing the issue from buyer inspections.
Offer a buyer credit: Disclose the test results, price accordingly, and offer a closing credit for the buyer to install a system after purchase. This keeps you out of the contractor process but reduces your net proceeds and narrows the buyer pool, as many financed buyers will still want mitigation complete before closing.
Sell as-is to a cash buyer: Cash buyers purchase homes with elevated radon in any condition — no mitigation required before closing. The offer accounts for the estimated cost of installing a system. You skip the contractor wait, the retest delay, and any risk that a financed buyer's lender requires remediation before funding the loan.

How Does High Radon Affect a Traditional Home Sale?

In a traditional listing, radon typically surfaces during the buyer's inspection period. Buyers using FHA or VA financing may encounter lender requirements to complete mitigation before the loan can close. Even conventional buyers often request remediation as a condition of sale, which adds weeks to the timeline and can collapse a deal if the buyer loses confidence. If you are already navigating a probate timeline, a divorce sale, or foreclosure risk, adding a radon remediation project makes an already complicated situation harder to manage.

Can I Sell a House With Radon to a Cash Buyer Without Fixing It First?

Yes. Cash buyers have no lender and no appraisal, so there are no minimum property condition requirements. A cash offer on a radon-affected home accounts for the mitigation cost — typically $800 to $2,500 per EPA estimates — as part of the buyer's calculation. You do not need to schedule a contractor, wait for installation, or run a post-mitigation retest. Call (888) 913-9906 or submit your property details online to receive a written, no-obligation offer within 24 hours. For a complete overview of what as-is sales involve, see our as-is selling guide.

How the Process Works

Tell us about your home: Share your address, any known radon test results, and your timeline at our online form or by phone
Receive a written offer: We review comparable sales in your area and the estimated mitigation cost, then deliver a no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours
Choose your closing date: Pick a date as soon as 7 days or up to 60 — you set the schedule
Close and receive funds: A licensed title company handles all paperwork; you receive your cash on the day of closing

Chitty Buys Houses purchases homes with radon concerns, mold, water damage, lead paint, and other health-related disclosure issues across the country. See also our guides on selling a house with mold and selling a house with lead paint.