District of Columbia Residential Lease Agreement
A free District of Columbia lease template, plus what District of Columbia law requires a lease to include, attach or leave out — each with the statute. Use it as a starting point; landlords with unusual situations should have a lawyer review the final lease.
Disclosures District of Columbia requires
| Rental unit disclosure form at application | When a prospective tenant applies, the housing provider must give the Rent Administrator's disclosure form with supporting documents covering: the rent; pending petitions that could affect the unit; rent surcharges and their expiration; how often rent may be increased; rent-control or exempt status, business license and registration; housing and property maintenance code violation reports from the last 12 months (or unabated older ones); the Rent Administrator's rent-increase pamphlet; any nonrefundable application fee; the security deposit amount, interest rate and how it is returned; condo or co-op conversion status; ownership information; known indoor mold contamination in the unit or common areas in the past 3 years (unless professionally remediated); the Tenant Bill of Rights; and the Board of Elections voter registration packet. If the provider willfully violates this, or fails to fix a violation within 10 business days of written notice, the rent may not be increased. Applies to: Rental units under the Rental Housing Act Source: D.C. Code § 42-3502.22(b)-(c) |
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| Tenant Bill of Rights | The Office of the Tenant Advocate's Tenant Bill of Rights must be given with the application disclosures. The current form (Form OTA 2026.09.25) includes a receipt line for the tenant to confirm the date it was received. Applies to: Rental units under the Rental Housing Act |
| Rent history for a new tenancy | As part of the lease for a new tenancy, the housing provider must disclose on a Rent Administrator form the starting rent for the unit and each rent increase in the preceding 3 years, with the basis for each. Applies to: New tenancies in rent-stabilized units Source: D.C. Code § 42-3502.13(d) |
| Screening fees and criteria | Before requesting any information or fees from an applicant, the housing provider must give written notice (or post it accessibly) of each fee or deposit and whether it is refundable, the information that will be checked, automatic-denial and other denial criteria, any consumer reporting agency used, the expected response time, and the applicant's rights to dispute information, get refunds of unused fees, and file complaints. Applies to: All rental applications Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.10(a) |
| Lead in water service lines | Before the tenant is bound to lease or renew, the owner must give the Mayor's lead disclosure form, completed with what the owner knows about water lead test results, lead plumbing or a lead water service line, whether the line has been replaced and when, related fines, and whether DC Water lists the property as having a lead service line. Applies to: All dwelling units, at lease and each renewal Source: D.C. Code § 42-3271(a) |
| Lead-based paint (District rules) | For units built before 1978, the owner must disclose on the Mayor's lead disclosure form what it reasonably knows about lead-based paint, lead-based paint hazards and pending District orders, before the tenant is bound by the lease. If a child under 6 or pregnant person will live in or regularly visit the unit, the owner must also give a clearance report issued in the past 12 months (or a lead-free certification). The owner must give the District's notice of tenant lead rights whenever a lease is signed or renewed and whenever a rent increase notice is given. Applies to: Dwelling units built before 1978 |
Terms District of Columbia law requires or controls
| Late fee must be stated in the lease | A late fee may be charged only if the written lease tells the tenant the maximum late fee, and only if the full rent is not paid within 5 days after it is due (or a longer grace period in the lease). The fee may not exceed 5% of the rent due and may be imposed only once per late payment. No interest on late fees, no deducting late fees from later rent, no eviction for unpaid late fees, and no late fee on a subsidy provider's share. Applies to: All residential leases Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.31 |
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| Tenant's notice to vacate limited to 30 days | A lease may not require a tenant to give more than 30 days' notice of intent to vacate, unless the lease also requires the housing provider to give written notice of any rent increase at least 30 days longer than that notice period. Applies to: All residential leases Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.54(b) |
Clauses that are void in District of Columbia
| Fees for required services | A housing provider may not charge a fee before move-in, during the tenancy, or after move-out for services it must provide to keep the unit habitable and code-compliant, including fees for utilities, trash, locks, administrative fees for third-party billing, or other required services or facilities. Applies to: All residential tenancies Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.10(b-2)(1) |
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| Pre-lease fees | Before the lease is signed, the only fee a housing provider may charge an applicant is an application fee (up to $50, adjustable by inflation since January 1, 2024). No holding deposit may be required from an applicant using a government housing voucher. Applies to: All rental applications |
| Separate billing for common-area or vacant-unit utilities | Starting January 1, 2027, a housing provider (or its contractor) may not separately charge tenants, other than through monthly rent, for utility charges for common spaces or vacant units. Ratio utility billing (RUBS) allocation of master-metered charges is still allowed. Applies to: All housing accommodations, from January 1, 2027 Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.11 |
| Repair covenants and ordinary wear | A tenant's promise to return the unit in good repair does not obligate the tenant to make substantial repairs, replace obsolete materials, or fix defects that are not the tenant's fault, and the deposit may not be kept for items damaged by ordinary wear and tear. Applies to: All residential leases Source: D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(c) |
| Waiver of landlord's maintenance liability | Certain lease clauses are prohibited under the District's housing regulations, including a waiver of the landlord's liability for failing to properly maintain the property. The landlord may not change a material term of the lease without the tenant's agreement. Applies to: All residential leases |
Format and delivery rules
| Copy of the lease and addenda | If there is a written lease, the landlord must give the tenant a copy of it and all addenda. A written lease is generally not required to create a tenancy. Applies to: All written residential leases |
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| Copies of housing regulations at move-in | At the start of the tenancy, the landlord must give the tenant copies of certain District housing regulations, including those on landlord-tenant relations. Applies to: All residential tenancies |
| Disclosure compilation on site | The housing provider must keep a compilation of the disclosure forms and documents for each unit in a publicly accessible area of the building, update it within 30 days of any change, tell each tenant in writing where it is, and give a tenant a free copy within 10 business days on written request once a year. Applies to: Rental units under the Rental Housing Act Source: D.C. Code § 42-3502.22(b)(2) |
Fill in the lease
Nothing you type leaves your browser. Bracketed items are yours to complete; clauses marked as required by District of Columbia law must be written to meet the rule shown above.
1. Parties. This lease is between [landlord name] ("Landlord") and [tenant name(s)] ("Tenant"). Landlord's address for notices: [landlord notice address].
2. Property. Landlord rents to Tenant the home at [rental address], including [parking, storage, appliances included].
3. Term. The lease begins on [start date] and ends on [end date]. [If month-to-month instead: the tenancy continues month to month until either side gives the written notice District of Columbia law requires.]
4. Rent. Rent is $[monthly rent] per month, due on the [due day] day of each month, paid by [payment method] to [where to pay].
5. Late fee. If rent is not received by [late day], a late fee of $[late fee] is due. This fee must comply with District of Columbia law (D.C. Code § 42-3505.31).
6. Security deposit. Tenant pays a security deposit of $[deposit amount], within the District of Columbia limit (14 DCMR §§ 308-311; D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 (as summarized in OTA Tenant Bill of Rights, Form OTA 2026.09.25)). Landlord will return it, minus lawful deductions with any required itemized list, within the time District of Columbia law sets (14 DCMR § 309; D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(e)).
7. Utilities. Tenant pays: [utilities tenant pays]. Landlord pays: [utilities landlord pays].
8. Occupants and guests. Only these people may live in the home: [names of all occupants]. Guests may stay up to [guest limit] unless Landlord agrees in writing.
9. Pets. [No pets allowed / Pets allowed: describe, plus any pet deposit or fee]. Assistance animals for people with disabilities are not pets and are handled under fair housing law.
10. Repairs and maintenance. Landlord keeps the home safe and fit to live in and makes repairs required by law. Tenant keeps the home clean, reports problems promptly in writing, and pays for damage beyond normal wear and tear.
11. Landlord entry. Landlord may enter for repairs, inspections or showings after giving the notice District of Columbia law requires (D.C. Code § 42-3505.51), except in an emergency.
12. Subletting. Tenant may not sublet or assign this lease without Landlord's written consent, which [will / will not] be unreasonably withheld.
13. Ending the lease. At the end of the term, [the lease ends / the lease renews month to month] unless either side gives written notice at least [notice days] days before the end date, and never less than District of Columbia law requires.
14. Late fee must be stated in the lease. (Write this clause to meet District of Columbia law: see "Late fee must be stated in the lease" above (D.C. Code § 42-3505.31).)
15. Tenant's notice to vacate limited to 30 days. (Write this clause to meet District of Columbia law: see "Tenant's notice to vacate limited to 30 days" above (D.C. Code § 42-3505.54(b)).)
16. Disclosures attached. Landlord has given Tenant these disclosures required by District of Columbia law: Rental unit disclosure form at application; Tenant Bill of Rights; Rent history for a new tenancy; Screening fees and criteria; Lead in water service lines; Lead-based paint (District rules). [Attach each one.]
17. Lead paint (homes built before 1978). If the home was built before 1978, Landlord has given Tenant the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home."
18. Whole agreement. This lease and its attachments are the whole agreement. If any part is not allowed by law, the rest still applies. Changes must be in writing and signed by both sides.
Landlord: [landlord name] Signature: ____________ Date: [date signed]
Tenant: [tenant name(s)] Signature: ____________ Date: [date signed]
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.