Washington's Short-Term Rentals: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles short-term rentals a little differently. In Washington, District of Columbia, there are 12 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Registration Rules

The DC Short-Term Rental Regulation Act (DC Law 22-307) requires hosts to register, obtain a Basic Business License, and limit non-hosted bookings to 90 nights per year. Unhosted whole-home rentals beyond 90 nights are prohibited.

Key details: Law: DC Law 22-307 (STR Act). License: Required via DOB. Non-Hosted Cap: 90 nights/year. Primary Residence: Required. Host Present Cap: Unlimited.

Unlicensed operation fines: $1,500 first offense, $3,000 second, $6,000 third plus license revocation. Exceeding 90-night cap: license revocation.

This is one of the stricter rules in Washington's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Under DC's Short-Term Rental Regulation Act of 2018, a unit listed on Airbnb, VRBO, or similar platforms must be the host's primary residence — investor-owned ghost listings are flatly prohibited.

Key details: Statute: DC Code 36-301.01 et seq.. Residency threshold: 183+ days/year. Regulator: DLCP (formerly DCRA). Effective: October 2019 enforcement.

Operating a non-primary-residence STR is unlicensed activity subject to civil fines, license denial, and revocation of any existing rental endorsement.

Compared to other cities, Washington takes a harder line on primary-residence-only rule. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Host Presence Rule

DC distinguishes hosted stays (host on-site) from unhosted whole-unit rentals; unhosted rentals from a primary residence are capped at 90 nights per calendar year, while hosted stays face no night cap.

Key details: Unhosted cap: 90 nights/year. Hosted cap: No night limit. Statute: DC Code 36-301.01. Data source: Platform quarterly reports.

Exceeding the 90-night unhosted cap triggers fines, license suspension, and potential platform delisting; misrepresenting hosted status is also actionable fraud.

Compared to other cities, Washington takes a harder line on host presence rule. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Host Platform Liability

DC's STR Act imposes platform-side compliance: booking platforms must verify each listing has a valid DLCP license number, remove non-compliant listings, and report booking data to the District quarterly.

Key details: Statute: DC Code 36-303.01. Reporting frequency: Quarterly to DLCP. Display required: License number on listing. Effective: October 2019.

Platforms that fail to verify licenses, display numbers, or deliver quarterly data face per-listing civil penalties and potential injunctive action by the DC Attorney General.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Washington actively enforces its host platform liability requirements.

Occupancy Limits

DC short-term rental licensees must comply with DC Housing Code occupancy ceilings, generally two adults per bedroom plus two, and must disclose maximum guest capacity on every listing.

Key details: Standard formula: 2 per bedroom + 2. Code source: 14 DCMR housing regs. Listing duty: Accurate guest cap. Building bylaws: May impose stricter caps.

Exceeding posted occupancy or misrepresenting bedroom count constitutes a licensing violation, with fines per incident and possible license suspension.

Insurance Requirements

DC's STR Act requires every licensed host to maintain at least $250,000 in liability insurance covering each rental transaction, either personally or through the booking platform's host protection program.

Key details: Minimum coverage: $250,000 liability. Statute: DC Code 36-302.01. Acceptable forms: Personal, commercial, or platform. Proof: Attest at licensing.

Operating without the required coverage is grounds for license denial or revocation, and an uninsured incident may expose the host to personal liability for guest injuries or property damage.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Washington actively enforces its insurance requirements requirements.

Repeat Violator Strikes

DLCP applies a progressive enforcement ladder for STR violations: first offense generates a warning or fine, second a suspension, and a third confirmed violation triggers automatic license revocation.

Key details: Strikes to revocation: 3 confirmed violations. Statute: DC Code 36-304.01. Cool-off period: Up to 2 years. Triggers: Cap, occupancy, residency breaches.

A third substantiated violation forces license revocation, address-based disqualification from re-licensing, and listing removal across all platforms via the platform-reporting duty.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Washington actively enforces its repeat violator strikes requirements.

Night Caps

DC caps unhosted short-term rentals at 90 nights per calendar year. Hosted stays where the owner remains on-site have no night limit. The cap is enforced through platform data sharing with the DC Office of Short-Term Rentals.

Key details: Unhosted Cap: 90 nights/year. Hosted Cap: None. Reset: January 1 annually. Enforcement: Platform data reports.

Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact [Washington code enforcement](https://www.google.com/search?q=Washington%20code%20enforcement) directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.

Compared to other cities, Washington takes a harder line on night caps. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Permit Requirements

DC requires a license to operate any short-term rental under the Short-Term Rental Regulation Act of 2018 (D.C. Law 22-307, DC Code 30-201.01 et seq.). Two license types exist: Short-Term Rental (host present, unlimited nights) and Vacation Rental (host absent, max 90 nights per year). Only primary residences eligible for the Homestead Tax Deduction qualify.

Key details: Law: D.C. Law 22-307. Host Present: Unlimited nights. Host Absent: Max 90 nights/year. License Fee: $104.50 (2-year). Insurance: $250,000 minimum.

First violation: $250 fine. Second violation: $500. Third and subsequent: $1,000 each. Operating without a license subjects the host to all applicable penalties plus back taxes.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Washington actively enforces its permit requirements requirements.

Parking Rules

DC does not impose specific off-street parking requirements for short-term rentals. STR guests must follow standard street parking rules, including the Residential Permit Parking (RPP) program under 18 DCMR 2411-2413. Non-RPP vehicles face a 2-hour limit on permit blocks.

Key details: RPP Code: 18 DCMR §§ 2411-2413. Non-Permit Limit: 2 hours on RPP blocks. RPP Hours: 7 AM–8:30 PM Mon–Fri. Georgetown: 7 AM–9 PM Mon–Sat.

Expired meter: $50 ticket. RPP violation: $50 ticket. Street cleaning violation: $45 ticket. Repeat violations may result in towing.

Noise Rules

DC short-term rental hosts are responsible for guest noise under the STR Act and DCMR Title 20 Chapter 27. Repeated complaints can trigger license revocation by the Office of Short-Term Rentals.

Key details: Host Response Time: 1 hour. Complaint Threshold: 3 per 12 months. Night Limit: 55 dBA. Enforcement: Office of Short-Term Rentals.

License suspension after three substantiated complaints; fines up to $6,000 per incident plus MPD noise citations directly to hosts.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Washington actively enforces its noise rules requirements.

Taxes & Fees

DC imposes a 15.95% transient accommodations tax on all short-term rental stays, effective through March 30, 2027. Hosts must collect and remit this tax. The two-year STR license costs $104.50 through DLCP.

Key details: Transient Tax: 15.95%. Tax Period: Through March 30, 2027. License Fee: $104.50 (2-year). Insurance Required: $250,000 liability. Tax Authority: OTR.

Failure to collect or remit the transient accommodations tax may result in back taxes, interest, and penalties assessed by OTR. Operating without a license: fines starting at $250.

Compared to other cities, Washington takes a harder line on taxes & fees. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Washington is tougher than many cities when it comes to short-term rentals. Out of the 12 rules covered here, 10 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Washington, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Washington's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.