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.
Under DC Code 36-301.01, two STR license tiers exist: a 'short-term rental' endorsement allows hosted stays where the licensee is physically present overnight, with no annual night limit. A 'vacation rental' endorsement permits unhosted whole-unit rentals from the primary residence but caps bookings at 90 nights per year. DLCP receives quarterly booking data from platforms like Airbnb to enforce the cap. The bifurcated structure aims to preserve the home-sharing economy while preventing primary residences from being converted into de facto hotels for most of the year.
Exceeding the 90-night unhosted cap triggers fines, license suspension, and potential platform delisting; misrepresenting hosted status is also actionable fraud.
Washington, DC
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-owne...
Washington, DC
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 thr...
See how Washington's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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