Roommate Agreement in District of Columbia

An agreement between roommates on rent shares, bills, chores and moving out. It is a contract between you — it does not change your lease with the landlord.

What District of Columbia law says

Roommate not on the lease	Under the Rental Housing Act, "tenant" includes a tenant, subtenant, lessee, sublessee, or other person entitled to the possession, occupancy or benefits of a rental unit owned by another person. A roommate who sublets from the leaseholder, or who is otherwise entitled to occupy, can therefore be a tenant even without signing the main lease; a person merely visiting is not. Whether a particular roommate is "entitled" to occupancy depends on the facts, such as any agreement with the leaseholder or the housing provider. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 42-3501.03 (definition of tenant)
Removing a roommate or subtenant	A leaseholder who rents to a roommate is a "housing provider" (the definition includes a sublessor and anyone entitled to receive rent). No tenant may be evicted without a written notice meeting the Rental Housing Act's requirements, and possession is recovered only through a case in D.C. Superior Court; the eviction itself is carried out under a court writ. The business-license filing requirement for a writ of restitution does not apply to complaints involving subtenants (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01). Which just-cause grounds apply when a tenant evicts a subtenant is not spelled out in the statute. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code §§ 42-3501.03 (housing provider), 42-3505.01(a)(1), 16-1501

Roommate not on the lease

Under the Rental Housing Act, "tenant" includes a tenant, subtenant, lessee, sublessee, or other person entitled to the possession, occupancy or benefits of a rental unit owned by another person. A roommate who sublets from the leaseholder, or who is otherwise entitled to occupy, can therefore be a tenant even without signing the main lease; a person merely visiting is not.

Whether a particular roommate is "entitled" to occupancy depends on the facts, such as any agreement with the leaseholder or the housing provider. Re-verified 2026-10-27.

Source: D.C. Code § 42-3501.03 (definition of tenant)

Removing a roommate or subtenant

A leaseholder who rents to a roommate is a "housing provider" (the definition includes a sublessor and anyone entitled to receive rent). No tenant may be evicted without a written notice meeting the Rental Housing Act's requirements, and possession is recovered only through a case in D.C. Superior Court; the eviction itself is carried out under a court writ.

The business-license filing requirement for a writ of restitution does not apply to complaints involving subtenants (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01). Which just-cause grounds apply when a tenant evicts a subtenant is not spelled out in the statute. Re-verified 2026-10-27.

Source: D.C. Code §§ 42-3501.03 (housing provider), 42-3505.01(a)(1), 16-1501

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ROOMMATE AGREEMENT for [rental address]

Roommates: [roommate names]

Rent: total $[total rent] per month. Shares: [each roommate's share]. Each share is paid to [who pays the landlord] by [due date].

Security deposit paid by each roommate: [deposit shares]. When someone moves out, their share is returned [how and when].

Utilities and internet: [how bills are split and who holds each account].

Rooms and shared spaces: [who has which room; shared areas].

Cleaning and chores: [chore plan]. Quiet hours: [quiet hours]. Guests: [overnight guest limits].

Moving out: a roommate who leaves gives [notice period] written notice to the others and [finds a replacement approved by the landlord / pays their share until the lease ends].

Disputes: we will first try to talk it out, then [mediation or small claims court].

Signatures and dates: [signatures]

Roommate Agreement for other states · District of Columbia tenant rights

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.