Rental Property Rules in District of Columbia (2026)
17 rules on the books across District of Columbia, 1 city or county. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Rent Control
Local limits on how much landlords can raise rent each year, including which properties are covered and exemptions for newer buildings.
District of Columbia: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsWashington, D.C. has rent control ("rent stabilization") under the Rental Housing Act of 1985 (D.C. Code § 42-3501.01…
Read full rule →Washington
Significant RestrictionsWashington, D.C. runs a citywide rent stabilization program that caps most landlords' annual rent increases to the…
Read full rule →Just Cause Eviction
Protections requiring landlords to have a valid reason to evict tenants, such as nonpayment of rent, lease violations, or owner move-in.
District of Columbia: statewide
StatewideSignificant RestrictionsIn the District of Columbia, a landlord cannot evict a tenant who keeps paying rent unless the case fits one of ten…
Read full rule →Washington
Heavy RestrictionsDC provides strong just-cause eviction protections under the Rental Housing Act (DC Code Section 42-3505.01). Landlords…
Read full rule →Rental Registration
Requirements for landlords to register rental properties with the city, including inspection programs, fees, and occupancy standards.
Relocation Assistance
Required tenant relocation payments for no-fault evictions and Ellis Act withdrawals, typical amounts, qualifying triggers, and how cities enforce payment.
Security Deposit Rules
Caps on how much landlords may collect as security deposits, return deadlines, itemized-deduction requirements, and tenant remedies for wrongfully withheld deposits.
Tenant Anti-Harassment
Cities like LA prohibit specific landlord conduct (lockouts, utility shutoffs, threats), penalties, private right of action, and how to document violations.
Rent Increase Notice
How much advance written notice a landlord must give before raising the rent on a month-to-month or expiring lease, and how state notice rules differ from any local rent-control caps.
District of Columbia: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsD.C. requires at least 60 days' written notice before any rent increase under D.C. Code § 42-3509.04, and rent for the…
Read full rule →Washington
Some RestrictionsIn Washington, D.C., landlords must give tenants at least 30 days' written notice before a rent increase takes effect…
Read full rule →Landlord Entry & Notice
How much advance notice a landlord must give before entering an occupied unit, the permitted reasons (repairs, showings, inspections), allowed hours, and the emergency exceptions under state law.
Repairs & Habitability
The implied warranty of habitability, how long a landlord has to fix essential services (heat, water, plumbing, mold), and tenant remedies such as repair-and-deduct, rent withholding, or breaking the lease.
District of Columbia: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsEvery D.C. lease carries an implied warranty of habitability under 14 DCMR § 301.1 that the owner will maintain the…
Read full rule →Washington
Some RestrictionsThe Mayor can inspect any District building for habitability and sanitary condition, condemning those found unsafe or…
Read full rule →Late Fees & Grace Periods
Whether late rent fees are capped, any required grace period before a fee can be charged, and limits on bounced-check (NSF) and other add-on charges under state law.
Lease Termination & Notice to Vacate
Notice required to end a month-to-month tenancy, the rules and penalties for breaking a fixed-term lease early, and early-termination protections for active-duty military, domestic-violence survivors, and medical hardships.
Eviction Notice & Process
The notice a landlord must give before filing to evict, pay-or-quit and cure-or-quit periods, no-cause termination notice, how long the court eviction process takes in this state, and the tenant's options to respond or cure.
Squatter's Rights & Adverse Possession
When an occupant without a lease gains legal protections, the line between a trespasser and a squatter, how many years of continuous possession adverse possession requires in this state, and how an owner lawfully removes a squatter.