6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in District of Columbia, District of Columbia.
Verified from official government sources
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.
D.C. Code § 30-201.01 — Short-Term Rental Definitions
For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) "Booking service" means any person or entity that facilitates short-term rental reservations and collects payment for lodging in a short-term rental. A booking service shall be a room remarketer within the meaning of § 47-2001(o-1). (2) "Department" means the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection or its successor agency. (3) "Host" me...
Short-term rental guests in DC are subject to the same noise regulations as all residents under 20 DCMR Chapters 27-28. Quiet hours of 10 PM to 7 AM apply, with residential limits of 55 dBA nighttime. Hosts are responsible for ensuring guest compliance.
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.
D.C. Code § 30-201.01 — Short-Term Rental Definitions (Booking service as room remarketer; host as vendor)
For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) "Booking service" means any person or entity that facilitates short-term rental reservations and collects payment for lodging in a short-term rental. A booking service shall be a room remarketer within the meaning of § 47-2001(o-1). [...] (3) "Host" means a natural person who uses a booking service to provide a short-term rental to a transient ...
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.
DC's Short-Term Rental Regulation Act (DC Law 22-307, DC Code section 47-2828.01) limits occupancy and operations. Hosts may rent their primary residence as a short-term rental only, with no more than 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 additional guests. Un-hosted stays are capped at 90 nights per calendar year. Each listing must display the DC STR license number.
DC STR hosts must maintain liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence under DC Code section 47-2828.01(c)(4) and DCMR 14-9. Coverage can be obtained through a dedicated policy or through the hosting platform's host protection program if it meets the $250,000 minimum. Proof of coverage is required for BBL issuance and renewal.
1 cities in District of Columbia have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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