Washington, DC Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Weed height limit
- 4 inches or taller triggers notice
- Time to comply
- 7 days, excludes Sundays/holidays
- Fine for noncompliance
- Up to $10 per day
- City abatement
- Mayor cuts weeds, bills owner double cost
- Lien interest rate
- 20% per year on unpaid assessment
Summary
In Washington, D.C., owners must cut weeds over 4 inches tall within 7 days of a Health Department notice, or the District can remove them and bill the property, plus a fine of up to $10 per day for noncompliance.
It shall be the duty of the owner, occupant, or agent in charge of any land in the City of Washington, or in the more densely populated suburbs of said City, to remove from such land any weeds thereon of 4 or more inches in height within 7 days (Sundays and legal holidays excepted) after notice from the Director of the Department of Human Services so to do, and upon failure to comply with such notice he or she shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $10 for each day said notice is not complied with.
Full Breakdown
District law makes it the duty of every owner, occupant, or agent in charge of land in Washington, D.C. to remove weeds 4 inches or taller within 7 days of notice from the Department of Human Services (Sundays and holidays excepted). Failure to comply is punishable by a fine of up to $10 for each day the notice goes unheeded, plus civil fines under Title 2's infractions process. On unoccupied land where no owner can be located, the Mayor publishes notice in a daily newspaper, then has District crews cut the weeds and assesses double the removal cost as a tax lien against the property, accruing interest at 20% a year.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a weed-removal notice draws a fine up to $10 per day; unowned or abandoned lots get city-cut weeds billed back as a tax lien with 20% annual interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a weed violation in D.C.?
What happens if a vacant lot's weeds are never cut?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington
Compare Washington to another location·View the District of Columbia property maintenance overview
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