Washington, D.C. Landlord-Tenant Laws: Key Rental Rules (2026)
Security deposits, notice periods, landlord entry, and other key rental rules in Washington, D.C., each linked to the state law it comes from.
By the ListMyHomes.com™ Editorial TeamPublished Last reviewed
This page summarizes the main landlord-tenant rules in Washington, D.C.. Each rule in the table below links to the law it comes from.
Key rules at a glance
| Rule | Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Where these laws apply | The D.C. Code's rental housing chapter (Title 42, Chapter 35, Rental Housing Generally) does not apply to units a foreign government runs as residences for diplomatic personnel, units in establishments whose primary purpose is diagnostic care and treatment of diseases (such as hospitals and nursing homes), dormitories, or, once the Rent Administrator so determines, long-term temporary housing run on a not-for-profit basis by a nonprofit charitable organization for families whose incomes at initial occupancy were at or below 50% of the District median income. Some units are exempt from §§ 42-3502.06 through 42-3502.16 of its Rent Stabilization Program, including units in housing built under a building permit issued after December 31, 1975 (with a limit where covered housing was demolished), and units in a building of 4 or fewer units owned by no more than 4 natural persons who have no direct or indirect interest in any other D.C. rental unit and who file a claim of exemption with the Rent Administrator. D.C. Code § 42-3502.05(a)(2)-(3), (e) |
| Security deposit limit | A security deposit, or other payment required as security for the tenant's obligations, may not exceed the first full month's rent charged to that tenant, and may be charged only once. Under D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(a), deposits are collected under the Security Deposit Act (14 DCMR 308 and following). 14 DCMR 308 does not apply to dwelling units leased by federal or District agencies or to units whose rents are federally subsidized. Pet deposits: for residential leases beginning after October 1, 2025, a housing provider may also require a refundable security deposit for a common household pet of no more than 15% of the monthly rent, in addition to any other security deposit allowed by law. It may be withheld only for damage directly caused by the pet that is not ordinary wear and tear, and no deposit may be required for a service or assistance animal a tenant with a disability needs as a reasonable accommodation. This rule comes from the Pets in Housing Amendment Act of 2024 (D.C. Law 25-308), which was to apply once funded; the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2026 (D.C. Act 26-416, an act made on an emergency basis that applies as of October 1, 2026) changed that funding condition, in § 7259, to cover only the law's section 3. The official D.C. Code still prints § 42-3505.10(b-3) as "Not Funded". 14 DCMR §§ 308.2, 308.8; D.C. Code §§ 42-3502.17(a), (d), 42-3505.10(b-3) |
| Where deposits are held | Deposits must be placed in an interest-bearing escrow account, held in trust at a financial institution in the District of Columbia insured by a federal or state agency, for the sole purpose of holding such deposits. An owner of more than one residential building may use one escrow account for the tenants of those buildings. At the end of each calendar year, the landlord must post in the building lobby and rental office where the deposits are held and the prevailing rate for each 6-month period of the past year. Except where no interest is paid to the tenant under 14 DCMR 311.2, the account may not be assigned or used as security for loans. 14 DCMR §§ 308.3, 308.5, 308.7, 311.3 |
| Returning the deposit | Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must either return the deposit, with any interest due, without the tenant having to ask, or notify the tenant in writing (in person or by certified mail to the last known address) that the landlord intends to keep money for expenses properly incurred under the deposit agreement. Within 30 days after that notice, the landlord must refund the balance, including interest not used, with an itemized statement of the repairs and other uses and the cost of each. A landlord who does not follow these steps gives prima facie evidence that the tenant is entitled to the full deposit with interest. A landlord who fails to return a deposit rightfully owed is liable for the amount withheld, or for treble damages in the event of bad faith. The landlord must also ask the departing tenant for a forwarding mailing or email address and, within 45 days after the tenancy ends, notify the tenant in writing (in person, by email, or by certified mail to the forwarding address) of any unpaid amounts claimed under the lease, with photographs or other documentation and a statement of the tenant's right to dispute them. The tenant has 30 calendar days to dispute those amounts, and the landlord must respond in writing within 10 days after receiving the tenant's information. 14 DCMR §§ 309.1-309.3, 309.5(1); D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(e) |
| Deposit deductions | Deposit money a landlord withholds is applied toward expenses properly incurred under the terms and conditions of the deposit agreement; none may be withheld for the replacement value of items damaged by ordinary wear and tear. "Ordinary wear and tear" means deterioration from the intended use of the home, including breakage or malfunction due to age or deteriorated condition; it does not include deterioration from negligence, carelessness, accident or abuse by the tenant, an immediate family member or a guest. A tenant's promise to leave the home in good repair does not require substantial repairs, replacing obsolete materials, or fixing other defects that are not the tenant's fault. A landlord may withhold the deposit to replace damaged items where the tenant caused damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Lawfully imposed late fees that were invoiced and not paid within 30 days may be deducted from the deposit at the end of the tenancy. To decide what to return, the landlord may inspect the unit within 3 days (not counting Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before or after the tenancy ends, after written notice of the date and time delivered at least 10 days ahead. D.C. Code §§ 42-3502.17(c), 42-3505.10(b-2)(B), 42-3505.31(d); 14 DCMR §§ 309.1(2), 310.1-310.4 |
| Interest on deposits | Required: interest starts on the date the tenant pays the deposit and accrues at no less than the statement savings rate prevailing on January 1 and July 1 for each 6-month period (or part of one) of the tenancy, at the D.C. financial institution holding the escrow account; all interest earned goes to the tenant except as the regulations allow. Interest is due to the tenant when a tenancy of 12 months or more ends, unless an amount is deducted under the 14 DCMR 309 procedures. A landlord whose account earns more than the statement savings rate may use up to 30% of the excess interest for administrative costs or other purposes. At the end of the tenancy, the landlord must list for the tenant the interest rate for each 6-month period. A landlord who fails to pay interest owed is liable for it, or for 3 times that amount in bad faith, and a willful violation carries a civil fine of up to $5,000 per violation. 14 DCMR §§ 311.1-311.2, 308.7 |
| Landlord entry notice | At least 48 hours' written notice, unless the tenant agrees in writing to a shorter time; notice may be sent by email or text message, but the landlord must give a paper notice if the tenant does not acknowledge it in writing. Entry only between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., not on a Sunday or federal holiday, unless the tenant agrees to another time. Entry only for a reasonable purpose: keeping the property safe from damage, inspecting, necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, renovations or improvements, necessary or agreed services and maintenance, showing the unit to buyers, lenders, tenants, workers or contractors, or work ordered by a government entity. No notice is needed in an emergency to protect or preserve the premises or the safety of tenants or others. A court may order a landlord who enters unlawfully, or repeatedly makes unreasonable demands for entry, to stop, and may award damages. D.C. Code § 42-3505.51(a)-(b) |
| Notice to end a month-to-month lease | A residential month-to-month tenancy may be ended by 30 days' written notice from the tenant only; the notice expires on the first day of the first month at least 30 days after it is given. A landlord may not evict a tenant who keeps paying the rent the landlord is entitled to, even after the lease or rental agreement expires, except as D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 allows and after serving a written notice that meets its requirements. For example, an owner who is a natural person and in good faith wants the unit for personal use as a home must serve a 90-day notice to vacate. A lease may not require the tenant to give more than 30 days' notice of moving out unless it also requires the landlord to give written notice of any rent increase at least 30 days longer than that period. D.C. Code §§ 42-3202(b), 42-3505.54, 42-3505.01(a)(1), (d) |
| Rent-increase notice | No rent increase under the D.C. Code's rental housing chapter (Title 42, Chapter 35) or the Rental Accommodations Act of 1975 or the Rental Housing Acts of 1977 and 1980 (or decisions under them) takes effect until the first regular rent day that is more than 60 calendar days after the tenant is given notice of it, provided the lease-notice rule of § 42-3505.54(b) is met. A notice of a rent stabilization adjustment under § 42-3502.06 must state the current rent, the new rent, and the utilities covered or other justification, and include a summary of tenant rights and a list of sources of technical assistance. D.C. Code §§ 42-3509.04(b), 42-3502.08(f) |
| Late fees | No more than 5% of the full amount of rent due. A late fee may be charged only if the written lease states the maximum late fee, and only if the full rent is not paid within 5 days after it is due, or any longer grace period in the lease. A late fee may be imposed only once per late payment; a landlord may not charge interest on it, deduct it from a later rent payment, evict for not paying it, or charge it on rent that a rent subsidy provider is responsible for. After the grace period, late fees may be invoiced for payment within 30 days; lawful late fees still unpaid may be deducted from the security deposit at the end of the tenancy. D.C. Code § 42-3505.31 |
| Notice for unpaid rent | At least 10 days before filing an eviction case for unpaid rent, the landlord must give the tenant notice of the intent to file; no such notice may be issued if the unpaid rent is less than $600. The notice must state the total rent owed with a ledger attached, and say that the tenant may stay if the balance is paid in full and that the landlord may file only if at least $600 is owed and the balance is not paid in full within 30 days of the notice. It must also say that only a court can order an eviction, with contacts for the Office of the Tenant Advocate and free legal help. The notice goes by certified mail or a delivery service with tracking and return receipt, and also by hand delivery to the unit or posting on its front door. D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a-1) |
| Rent control | D.C. has a Rent Stabilization Program: each year the Rental Housing Commission sets an adjustment of general applicability equal to the prior calendar year's change in the Washington, D.C. area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), capped at 10%. Except for adjustments under §§ 42-3502.10, 42-3502.11, 42-3502.12 or 42-3502.14, an increase for an occupied unit may not exceed the current allowable rent plus that adjustment plus 2%, and no more than 10% in total. For a unit occupied by an elderly tenant or a tenant with a disability, the increase may not exceed the least of that adjustment, the latest Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, or 5% of the rent. Rent for a unit covered by the program may be raised only after a full 12 months since the prior increase (with exceptions after a vacancy), and not during the term of a written lease that sets the rent. Units exempt under § 42-3502.05(a) are exempt from §§ 42-3502.06 through 42-3502.16. D.C. Code §§ 42-3502.06(b), 42-3502.08(e), (g)-(h), 42-3502.24(a), 42-3502.05(a) |
| Required landlord disclosures | When a prospective tenant applies, the landlord must provide, on the Rent Administrator's disclosure form with supporting documents: the rent; pending petitions that could affect the unit; rent surcharges; how often the rent may be increased; the building's rent-controlled or exempt status, business license and registration or claim of exemption; and housing code and property maintenance code violation reports from the last 12 months and any not yet abated. The same form must include the Rent Administrator's pamphlet on rent increases and petitions; any nonrefundable application fee, the initial security deposit, its interest rate and how it is returned; whether the building is registered as, or converting to, a condominium, a cooperative or a use that is not a housing accommodation; ownership information; known indoor mold contamination in the unit or common areas in the previous 3 years unless remediated by a District-certified and licensed professional; and the Office of the Tenant Advocate's Tenant Bill of Rights. Before a lease for an exempt unit is signed, the prospective tenant must get written notice that rent increases are not regulated by the rent stabilization program. The lease, agreement or deposit receipt must clearly state the terms and conditions of the security deposit, and a late fee may be charged only if the written lease states its maximum amount. D.C. Code §§ 42-3502.22(b)(1), 42-3502.05(d), 42-3505.31(b)(1); 14 DCMR § 308.6 Federal law: For housing built before 1978 (with limited exceptions): before the tenant is bound by the lease, the landlord must give the EPA lead-hazard pamphlet and disclose any known lead-based paint or hazards and any available reports. 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR 745.107 |
| Fair housing protected classes | Race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, family responsibilities, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, source of income, sealed eviction record, status as a victim of an intrafamily offense, place of residence or business, and homeless status, actual or perceived. Age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, source of income, sealed eviction record, status as a victim of an intrafamily offense, place of residence or business, and homeless status appear in D.C.'s law but not in the federal list. D.C. Code § 2-1402.21(a); 42 U.S.C. § 3604 |
What this means for renters
Before you sign, compare the lease's deposit amount, rent due date, and late-fee terms with the rules above. At move-in, record the unit's condition with dated photos. When you move out, give the written notice your lease and the rules above call for, leave a forwarding address, and keep copies of everything you send and receive.
What this means for landlords who manage their own rental
List the unit with its rent, deposit, and lease terms. Screen every applicant by the same written criteria, within fair-housing law. Collect the deposit and give notices following the rules above, and keep records of the unit's condition at move-in and move-out.
List your rental on ListMyHomes.com for one flat fee, or browse rentals in Washington, D.C. listed directly by owners.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Washington, D.C.?
A security deposit, or other payment required as security for the tenant's obligations, may not exceed the first full month's rent charged to that tenant, and may be charged only once. Under D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(a), deposits are collected under the Security Deposit Act (14 DCMR 308 and following). 14 DCMR 308 does not apply to dwelling units leased by federal or District agencies or to units whose rents are federally subsidized. Pet deposits: for residential leases beginning after October 1, 2025, a housing provider may also require a refundable security deposit for a common household pet of no more than 15% of the monthly rent, in addition to any other security deposit allowed by law. It may be withheld only for damage directly caused by the pet that is not ordinary wear and tear, and no deposit may be required for a service or assistance animal a tenant with a disability needs as a reasonable accommodation. This rule comes from the Pets in Housing Amendment Act of 2024 (D.C. Law 25-308), which was to apply once funded; the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2026 (D.C. Act 26-416, an act made on an emergency basis that applies as of October 1, 2026) changed that funding condition, in § 7259, to cover only the law's section 3. The official D.C. Code still prints § 42-3505.10(b-3) as "Not Funded". See the source in the table above.
How long does a Washington, D.C. landlord have to return a security deposit?
Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must either return the deposit, with any interest due, without the tenant having to ask, or notify the tenant in writing (in person or by certified mail to the last known address) that the landlord intends to keep money for expenses properly incurred under the deposit agreement. Within 30 days after that notice, the landlord must refund the balance, including interest not used, with an itemized statement of the repairs and other uses and the cost of each. A landlord who does not follow these steps gives prima facie evidence that the tenant is entitled to the full deposit with interest. A landlord who fails to return a deposit rightfully owed is liable for the amount withheld, or for treble damages in the event of bad faith. The landlord must also ask the departing tenant for a forwarding mailing or email address and, within 45 days after the tenancy ends, notify the tenant in writing (in person, by email, or by certified mail to the forwarding address) of any unpaid amounts claimed under the lease, with photographs or other documentation and a statement of the tenant's right to dispute them. The tenant has 30 calendar days to dispute those amounts, and the landlord must respond in writing within 10 days after receiving the tenant's information. See the source in the table above.
How much notice must a Washington, D.C. landlord give before entering?
At least 48 hours' written notice, unless the tenant agrees in writing to a shorter time; notice may be sent by email or text message, but the landlord must give a paper notice if the tenant does not acknowledge it in writing. Entry only between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., not on a Sunday or federal holiday, unless the tenant agrees to another time. Entry only for a reasonable purpose: keeping the property safe from damage, inspecting, necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, renovations or improvements, necessary or agreed services and maintenance, showing the unit to buyers, lenders, tenants, workers or contractors, or work ordered by a government entity. No notice is needed in an emergency to protect or preserve the premises or the safety of tenants or others. A court may order a landlord who enters unlawfully, or repeatedly makes unreasonable demands for entry, to stop, and may award damages. See the source in the table above.
How much notice ends a month-to-month lease in Washington, D.C.?
A residential month-to-month tenancy may be ended by 30 days' written notice from the tenant only; the notice expires on the first day of the first month at least 30 days after it is given. A landlord may not evict a tenant who keeps paying the rent the landlord is entitled to, even after the lease or rental agreement expires, except as D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 allows and after serving a written notice that meets its requirements. For example, an owner who is a natural person and in good faith wants the unit for personal use as a home must serve a 90-day notice to vacate. A lease may not require the tenant to give more than 30 days' notice of moving out unless it also requires the landlord to give written notice of any rent increase at least 30 days longer than that period. See the source in the table above.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Washington, D.C.?
No rent increase under the D.C. Code's rental housing chapter (Title 42, Chapter 35) or the Rental Accommodations Act of 1975 or the Rental Housing Acts of 1977 and 1980 (or decisions under them) takes effect until the first regular rent day that is more than 60 calendar days after the tenant is given notice of it, provided the lease-notice rule of § 42-3505.54(b) is met. A notice of a rent stabilization adjustment under § 42-3502.06 must state the current rent, the new rent, and the utilities covered or other justification, and include a summary of tenant rights and a list of sources of technical assistance. See the source in the table above.
How much can a Washington, D.C. landlord charge for late rent?
No more than 5% of the full amount of rent due. A late fee may be charged only if the written lease states the maximum late fee, and only if the full rent is not paid within 5 days after it is due, or any longer grace period in the lease. A late fee may be imposed only once per late payment; a landlord may not charge interest on it, deduct it from a later rent payment, evict for not paying it, or charge it on rent that a rent subsidy provider is responsible for. After the grace period, late fees may be invoiced for payment within 30 days; lawful late fees still unpaid may be deducted from the security deposit at the end of the tenancy. See the source in the table above.
How much notice must a Washington, D.C. landlord give when rent is unpaid?
At least 10 days before filing an eviction case for unpaid rent, the landlord must give the tenant notice of the intent to file; no such notice may be issued if the unpaid rent is less than $600. The notice must state the total rent owed with a ledger attached, and say that the tenant may stay if the balance is paid in full and that the landlord may file only if at least $600 is owed and the balance is not paid in full within 30 days of the notice. It must also say that only a court can order an eviction, with contacts for the Office of the Tenant Advocate and free legal help. The notice goes by certified mail or a delivery service with tracking and return receipt, and also by hand delivery to the unit or posting on its front door. See the source in the table above.
Does Washington, D.C. have rent control?
D.C. has a Rent Stabilization Program: each year the Rental Housing Commission sets an adjustment of general applicability equal to the prior calendar year's change in the Washington, D.C. area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), capped at 10%. Except for adjustments under §§ 42-3502.10, 42-3502.11, 42-3502.12 or 42-3502.14, an increase for an occupied unit may not exceed the current allowable rent plus that adjustment plus 2%, and no more than 10% in total. For a unit occupied by an elderly tenant or a tenant with a disability, the increase may not exceed the least of that adjustment, the latest Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, or 5% of the rent. Rent for a unit covered by the program may be raised only after a full 12 months since the prior increase (with exceptions after a vacancy), and not during the term of a written lease that sets the rent. Units exempt under § 42-3502.05(a) are exempt from §§ 42-3502.06 through 42-3502.16. See the source in the table above.
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