All DC rental housing providers must hold a Basic Business License in the Housing: Residential-Rental category before leasing a unit, per DC Code section 47-2828 and DCMR 14-200. The license requires a Certificate of Occupancy, Clean Hands certification, and registration with the Rental Accommodations Division. Inspections are required every two years for most buildings.
DC requires all rental operators — including single-family homes, condos, and apartment buildings — to obtain a Basic Business License (BBL) under Housing: Residential-Rental from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP, formerly DCRA). Prerequisites include a valid Certificate of Occupancy from the Department of Buildings (DOB), a Clean Hands certificate showing no more than $100 owed in District taxes, Home Occupation Permit if owner-occupied, and registration with the Rental Accommodations Division (RAD) including rent stabilization Form 8 (exemption) or Form 9 (registration). Fees run approximately $200 for 1-4 units to $400+ for larger buildings, every two years. Proactive Rental Inspection Program (PRIP) and the Residential Housing Inspection Program mandate inspections every two years for apartment buildings and on complaint for single-family rentals. Lead-based paint disclosure and District Lead-Safe Certification are required for pre-1978 units. Failure to hold a BBL invalidates the lease for purposes of collecting rent in some cases and exposes the owner to treble damages under consumer protection law.
Operating without BBL: $2,000 fine plus $50 per day continuing violation under DCMR 16-3201. Failure to register with RAD: additional $500 fine and loss of right to raise rent. Unlicensed lease: tenant may recover rent paid plus damages. Code violations: up to $2,000 plus abatement orders.
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