District of Columbia notice periods
District of Columbia: Landlord cannot terminate a residential month-to-month tenancy without one of the statutory grounds in D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 (no no-fault termination); a tenant may end a residential tenancy with a 30-day written notice to quit that expires on the first day of a month at least 30 days after the notice (§ 42-3202(b)). Nonpayment: at least 10 days' written notice before filing (cut from 30 days by the RENTAL Amendment Act of 2025, D.C. Law 26-80); no eviction may be filed if the unpaid rent is under $600. Other lease violations: 30 days to cure. The state requires a lawful reason (just cause) to end most tenancies, so notice alone is not enough. A rent increase needs 60 days’ notice. For nonpayment, the landlord must serve a 10-day notice to pay or quit before filing for eviction.
The District of Columbia rules in detail
Landlord cannot terminate a residential month-to-month tenancy without one of the statutory grounds in D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 (no no-fault termination); a tenant may end a residential tenancy with a 30-day written notice to quit that expires on the first day of a month at least 30 days after the notice (§ 42-3202(b)). Nonpayment: at least 10 days' written notice before filing (cut from 30 days by the RENTAL Amendment Act of 2025, D.C. Law 26-80); no eviction may be filed if the unpaid rent is under $600. Other lease violations: 30 days to cure.
No rent increase is effective until the first day on which rent is normally paid occurring more than 60 calendar days after notice is given (raised from 30 days by D.C. Law 25-65, effective Nov. 28, 2023). Most units are also subject to rent stabilization caps.
10 days. The tenant may cure by paying everything owed within the period; after that the landlord may file for eviction.
Serving the notice
- Notice must be in writing. Text messages and emails count only where the lease or statute allows electronic notice.
- The clock starts when the notice is delivered, not when it is written. Mailed notices usually add days; check the statute’s service rules.
- Termination notices generally take effect at the end of a rental period. Served mid-month, a 30-day notice ends the tenancy at the end of the next full month.
- District of Columbia requires a lawful reason to end most tenancies. The notice must state the reason, and some reasons carry longer periods or relocation assistance.
- A fixed-term lease ends on its own date; these periods apply to month-to-month tenancies and to tenancies that continued after a lease expired.
Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a), (a-1), (b); § 42-3202(b); § 42-3509.04(b).
Related District of Columbia rules
- Late fees: Late fee may not exceed 5% of the full amount of rent due, and may be charged only if rent is unpaid more than 5 days after the due date (or any longer grace period in the lease). Only one fee per late payment, no interest on late fees, the lease must disclose the maximum fee, no fee on the portion of rent paid by a subsidy, and unpaid late fees cannot be grounds for eviction. Late fee calculator.
- Security deposit: 1 month's rent (may not exceed the first full month's rent charged to the tenant, and may be charged only once); returned 45 days after termination of the tenancy to return the deposit with accrued interest, or to give written notice of intent to withhold; an itemized statement and any balance must follow within 30 days of that notice. Deposit rules.
- All rules on one page: District of Columbia landlord and tenant law.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in District of Columbia?
Landlord cannot terminate a residential month-to-month tenancy without one of the statutory grounds in D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 (no no-fault termination); a tenant may end a residential tenancy with a 30-day written notice to quit that expires on the first day of a month at least 30 days after the notice (§ 42-3202(b)). Nonpayment: at least 10 days' written notice before filing (cut from 30 days by the RENTAL Amendment Act of 2025, D.C. Law 26-80); no eviction may be filed if the unpaid rent is under $600. Other lease violations: 30 days to cure.
How much notice does a tenant have to give in District of Columbia?
30 days’ written notice on a month-to-month tenancy. A fixed-term lease ends on its own date unless it says otherwise.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in District of Columbia?
60 days. No rent increase is effective until the first day on which rent is normally paid occurring more than 60 calendar days after notice is given (raised from 30 days by D.C. Law 25-65, effective Nov. 28, 2023). Most units are also subject to rent stabilization caps.
How long is a pay-or-quit notice in District of Columbia?
10 days. The tenant can stop the eviction by paying the full amount within that time.
Does the notice have to end on the last day of the month?
In most states, yes: a termination notice on a periodic tenancy takes effect at the end of a rental period that is at least the required number of days after service. Serving on the 15th with a 30-day requirement typically ends the tenancy at the end of the following month, not 30 days later. The calculator shows both dates.