Washington, DC Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

Long-term rental of a DC accessory apartment (lease terms of 31 days or more) is permitted with a residential Basic Business License from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), rental property registration with DOB, and compliance with DC's housing code and Rental Housing Act. Short-term rental is governed by the Short-Term Rental Regulation Act of 2018 and implementing regulations at 14 DCMR Chapter 99. Key STR rules: (1) the dwelling must be the host's primary residence (defined as where the host resides for at least 80 days per year and where the host is eligible for the homestead deduction); (2) the host must obtain a separate STR license through DLCP; (3) un-hosted rentals (vacation rentals) are limited to 90 nights per calendar year; (4) hosted rentals (host present on-site) are unlimited; (5) STR platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) are required to enforce license display. Because an accessory apartment is by definition not the principal dwelling, it cannot be the host's primary residence in the STR sense — meaning the accessory apartment cannot be operated as an STR unless the owner lives in the accessory apartment itself (making the accessory unit the primary residence, with the main house rented long-term or owner-used).