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.
DC's STR Act, passed as B22-0092 and signed into law as DC Law 22-307 effective 2019 with enforcement beginning 2022, requires every Airbnb, Vrbo, or short-term rental host to (1) register with DCRA (now Department of Buildings), (2) hold a Short-Term Rental Basic Business License, (3) rent only their primary residence, and (4) cap unhosted (vacant) bookings at 90 nights per calendar year. Hosted stays (host present) have no night cap. The Office of Short-Term Rentals processes applications. Platforms Airbnb and Vrbo remove non-compliant listings quarterly. Condominium associations and cooperative boards may prohibit STRs entirely regardless of DC license. HOAs in Logan Circle, Kalorama, and Penn Quarter have widely banned STRs. The primary residence requirement means only one STR per host.
Unlicensed operation fines: $1,500 first offense, $3,000 second, $6,000 third plus license revocation. Exceeding 90-night cap: license revocation.
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