National Consensus Standards for Every Building Type

The impact of occupant exposure to radon in buildings is an important public protection issue that requires standardized approaches to measurement and mitigation, and long-term stewardship to confirm concentrations in buildings remain below the EPA Action Level. Whether the source of radon is through soil or water, or by emanation from building materials, preventing radon exposure to building occupants is one of the most important environmental health challenges we face today.


EPA Recommends States Reference ANSI/AARST Radon Standards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been actively participating in the radon industry-led ANSI/AARST voluntary consensus-based standards (VCS) process since 2012.  Federal participation in the development and use of VCS is governed by the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (1995), and Circular A-119 (2016, 1998) issued by the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President. For more information, please visit “EPA Guidance on the Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards for State Indoor Radon Grant Recipients.”


The AARST Consortium on National Radon Standards

The AARST Consortium on National Radon Standards is a non-profit organization owned by AARST. The consortium serves as the forum for development, maintenance and publication of national consensus standards, which include processes, procedures and quality assurance systems to ensure standardized approaches for measurement and mitigation in both existing and new buildings. Hundreds of volunteer members representing key stakeholder groups, including analytical laboratories, federal and state regulators, radon measurement and mitigation contractors, product manufacturers, training organizations, scientists and academia, and environmental consultants, have developed and continue to maintain standards through participation on multiple committees.


Accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

The consortium is an ANSI-approved standards developer, which means standards are developed and maintained through ANSI’s established consensus process to ensure openness, balance and due process through the following items:

* Open Participation
* Stakeholder Balance
* Standard Development
* Consensus Vote
* Public Comment and Appeals
* Standards Publication
* Standards Maintenance


Current ANSI/AARST National Consensus Standards

ANSI/AARST national consensus standards are utilized by numerous federal and state agencies, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A national consensus standard is available for every building type:

Radon in Water

ANSI/AARST MW-RN-2020

Protocol for the Collection, Transfer and Measurement of Radon in Water

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This standard of practice contains minimum requirements and guidance for measuring radon in water that enters a building through groundwater supplies for determining if mitigation is necessary to protect current and future occupants of dwellings and other buildings. This standard includes procedures for the collection and transport of water samples, as well as protocols for the quantitative transfer of the sample to a measurement device to determine radon concentrations in water.

Single-Family Buildings

ANSI/AARST MAH-2019

Protocol for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Homes

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This standard of practice specifies minimum requirements and general guidance for measuring radon concentrations in single-family residences. This standard applies to testing structures whether conducted for real estate or non-real-estate purposes. The purpose of test protocols is to consistently produce, to the extent possible, reliable and repeatable radon measurements. Radon measurements are conducted to determine if radon mitigation is necessary in order to protect current and future occupants.

ANSI/AARST SGM-SF-2017 with 12/2020 REVISIONS

Soil Gas Mitigation Standards for Existing Homes

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This standard specifies practices, minimum requirements and, general guidance for reducing soil gas entry into existing homes in order to mitigate occupant exposures to certain hazardous soil gases, including radon gas, chemical vapors and other hazardous gases. The 12/20 revisions to this publication include updates to Sections 6, 7 and 8 so they are harmonized to read the same across ANSI/AARST SGM-SF, RMS-MF and RMS-LB.

NOTE 1: While it is recommended that mitigators follow this revised version immediately, required NRPP compliance with the revisions will not go into effect until Sept. 1, 2021.

NOTE 2: Beginning May 1st , 2021, the NRPP Radon Mitigation Specialist Exam will be based on this SGM-17-2017 with the 12/2020 Revisions.

Multifamily Buildings

ANSI/AARST MAMF-2017 with 1/2021 REVISIONS

Protocol for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Multifamily Buildings

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This standard of practice specifies procedures and minimum requirements when measuring radon concentrations in shared structures, or portions of shared structures, used for residential, non-residential or mixed use purposes to determine if radon mitigation is necessary to protect current and future occupants. 1-21 revisions to this publication include harmonization of most provisions to read the same across both ANSI/AARST MAMF and ANSI/AARST MALB.

NOTE: For compliance purposes, the effective date of this publication is 9/1/2021.

ANSI/AARST RMS-MF-2018 with 12/2020 REVISIONS

Radon Mitigation Standards for Multifamily Buildings

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This standard specifies practices, minimum requirements and general guidance for mitigation of radon in existing multifamily buildings, including both low-rise and high-rise multifamily buildings. The 12/20 revisions to this publication include updates to Sections 6, 7 and 8 so they are harmonized to read the same across ANSI/AARST SGM-SF, RMS-MF and RMS-LB.

NOTE: While it is recommended that mitigators follow this revised version immediately, required NRPP compliance with the revisions will not go into effect until Sept. 1, 2021.

Schools and Large Buildings

ANSI/AARST MALB-2014 with 1/2021 REVISIONS

Protocol for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products In Schools and Large Buildings

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This standard of practice specifies procedures and minimum requirements when measuring radon concentrations in shared structures, or portions of shared structures, used for residential, non-residential or mixed-use purposes to determine if radon mitigation is necessary to protect current and future occupants. 1-21 revisions to this publication include harmonization of most provisions to read the same across both ANSI/AARST MAMF and ANSI/AARST MALB.

NOTE: For compliance purposes, the effective date of this publication is 9/1/2021. 

ANSI/AARST RMS-LB-2018 with 12/2020 REVISIONS

Radon Mitigation Standards for Schools and Large Buildings

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This standard specifies practices, minimum requirements and general guidance for mitigation of radon in existing schools and large buildings, including both low-rise and high-rise schools and large buildings. The 12/20 revisions to this publication include updates to Sections 6, 7 and 8 so they are harmonized to read the same across ANSI/AARST SGM-SF, RMS-MF and RMS-LB.

NOTE: While it is recommended that mitigators follow this revised version immediately, required NRPP compliance with the revisions will not go into effect until Sept. 1, 2021.

New Construction

ANSI/AARST RRNC-2020

Rough-In Of Radon Control Components In New Construction Of 1 & 2 Family Dwellings And Townhouses

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This standard provides minimum requirements for the rough-In of radon control system components in new dwelling units under construction. This standard is harmonized with ANSI/AARST CCAH, which additionally addresses requirements for verifying if radon concentrations are below the national action level and, if required, activation of radon control systems.

ANSI/AARST CCAH-2020

Reducing Radon In New Construction Of One & Two Family Dwellings And Townhouses

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This standard provides minimum requirements for the rough-In of radon control system components in new dwelling units under construction. CCAH also includes minimum requirements for verifying if radon concentrations are below the national action level and, if required, activation of radon control systems. This standard is harmonized to compliment the standard designated as ANSI/AARST RRNC, which replicates construction activities for rough-In components only

ANSI/AARST CC-1000-2018

Soil Gas Control Systems in New Construction of Buildings

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This standard provides minimum requirements for the construction of any building intended for human occupancy, except for 1 and 2 family dwellings, in order to reduce occupant exposure to radon and other hazardous soil gases. It addresses the construction of buildings to be utilized for multifamily or congregate residential, educational or commercial occupancies.

Quality Assurance

ANSI/AARST MS-PC-2015

Performance Specifications for Instrumentation Systems Designed to Measure Radon Gas in Air

A revised version of MS-PC is available for purchase below.

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This standard specifies minimum performance criteria and testing procedures for instruments designed to quantify the concentration of radon-222 gas in air. These criteria are applicable to the wide variety of devices used for indoor radon measurements, primarily in residential environments or buildings not associated with the possession or handling of radioactive materials. Also included is a description of documentation necessary for compliance with this standard.

ANSI/AARST MS-PC-2022

Performance Specifications for Instrumentation Systems Designed to Measure Radon Gas in Air

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This standard specifies minimum performance criteria and testing procedures for instruments designed to quantify the concentration of radon-222 gas in air. These criteria are applicable to the wide variety of devices used for indoor radon measurements, primarily in residential environments or buildings not associated with the possession or handling of radioactive materials. Also included is a description of documentation necessary for compliance with this standard.

ANSI/AARST MS-QA-2019

Radon Measurement Systems Quality Assurance

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This standard specifies minimum requirements for quality systems designed to quantify the concentration of radon-222 gas in air by qualified professionals (QPs) and laboratories, whose data are intended to be used to determine the need for, or success of mitigation. It is applicable to the wide variety of radon measurement devices used for indoor measurements, primarily in residential environments or buildings not associated with possession or handling or radioactive materials.