Laws by state / District of Columbia

District of Columbia landlord and tenant rules

The figures that decide most disputes between District of Columbia landlords and tenants, each with a calculator and the statute behind it.

Verified against the statutes 2026-10-22By RentByState Research

Rule	District of Columbia	Statute	Tool
Maximum 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)	D.C. Code § 42-3502.17; 14 DCMR §§ 308-311	Deposit rules
Deposit return deadline	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	D.C. Code § 42-3502.17; 14 DCMR §§ 308-311	Deposit rules
Interest on the deposit	Required	D.C. Code § 42-3502.17; 14 DCMR §§ 308-311	District of Columbia interest calculator
Maximum late fee	5% of monthly rent after a 5-day grace period	D.C. Code § 42-3505.31	Late fee calculator
Landlord notice, month-to-month	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. (just cause required)	D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a), (a-1), (b); § 42-3202(b); § 42-3509.04(b)	Notice calculator
Tenant notice, month-to-month	30 days	D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a), (a-1), (b); § 42-3202(b); § 42-3509.04(b)	Notice calculator
Rent increase notice	60 days	D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a), (a-1), (b); § 42-3202(b); § 42-3509.04(b)	Notice calculator
Pay-or-quit notice	10 days	D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a), (a-1), (b); § 42-3202(b); § 42-3509.04(b)	Notice calculator
Rent increase cap	DC rent control	Rental Housing Act of 1985, D.C. Code § 42-3502.08	DC rent control calculator

Security deposits in District of Columbia

District of Columbia limits security deposits to 1 month's rent (may not exceed the first full month's rent charged to the tenant, and may be charged only once). The deposit must be 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. District of Columbia is one of the states that requires interest on the deposit. Deposits must be held in an interest-bearing escrow account at a DC financial institution (14 DCMR 308.3); interest accrues at not less than the prevailing statement savings rate (14 DCMR 311.1) and is payable on tenancies of 12 months or more (14 DCMR 311.2). The 45-day deadline and interest obligation are confirmed in D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 (official site); the 1-month cap is in regulation 14 DCMR 308.2, confirmed via the DC Rental Housing Commission's official landlord guide and secondary sources quoting the regulation (dcregs.dc.gov text could not be retrieved directly). Treble damages for bad-faith withholding (14 DCMR 309.4). Full deposit rules and move-out checklist.

Late fees in District of Columbia

District of Columbia caps late fees at 5% of the monthly rent. Rent must be at least 5 days late before any fee may be charged. Calculate the maximum fee.

Notice periods in District of Columbia

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. Calculate the effective date of a notice.

Rent increase limits in District of Columbia

DC rent control: CPI-W plus 2%, capped at 10%; for elderly or disabled tenants CPI-W only, capped at 5%. Set each year for 1 May to 30 April.

Deposit interest in District of Columbia

District of Columbia: The statement savings rate of the bank holding the escrow account, reset on 1 January and 1 July. Every DC landlord who takes a security deposit. Interest is owed to tenants who occupied the unit for at least 12 months.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in District of Columbia?

1 month's rent (may not exceed the first full month's rent charged to the tenant, and may be charged only once). Deposits must be held in an interest-bearing escrow account at a DC financial institution (14 DCMR 308.3); interest accrues at not less than the prevailing statement savings rate (14 DCMR 311.1) and is payable on tenancies of 12 months or more (14 DCMR 311.2). The 45-day deadline and interest obligation are confirmed in D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 (official site); the 1-month cap is in regulation 14 DCMR 308.2, confirmed via the DC Rental Housing Commission's official landlord guide and secondary sources quoting the regulation (dcregs.dc.gov text could not be retrieved directly). Treble damages for bad-faith withholding (14 DCMR 309.4).

What is the maximum late fee for rent in District of Columbia?

5% of monthly rent. 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.

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 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.