How to Evict a Tenant in District of Columbia (2026)
The legal steps for landlords in District of Columbia — the notice, the court case, costs, timeline and the mistakes that get cases thrown out — with the statute or official page behind each step.
Short answer: In District of Columbia a landlord must give the required written notice, file an eviction case in court if the tenant doesn't pay or leave, win a judgment, and have a sheriff or other officer carry out the removal. Changing the locks or removing belongings yourself is not allowed.
Step 1: Have a legal reason and give the right notice
| Unpaid rent | At least 10 days' written notice of intent to file before filing a nonpayment eviction, on the statutory form (amount owed, ledger, right to cure, tenant-help phone numbers), sent by certified/tracked mail plus hand delivery or posting. No eviction case may be filed if less than $600 is owed, and no eviction for unpaid late fees. |
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| Lease violation | 30-day notice to correct or vacate; the landlord can recover possession only if the tenant fails to correct the violation within 30 days after receiving notice. Illegal-act cases: 30-day notice to vacate after a court finding; for complaints filed after Dec. 31, 2025 involving a dangerous crime or crime of violence, 10-day notice to vacate with no cure and an expedited hearing within 20 days of filing. Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(b), (c) |
| Ending a month-to-month tenancy (no fault) | Tenant: 30 days' written notice, expiring on the first day of a month at least 30 days after the notice. Landlord: cannot end a residential tenancy just because the lease or month ends; may evict only for one of the statutory causes in § 42-3505.01 (e.g., 90 days for owner use or sale, 120 days for renovation, 180 days for demolition or discontinuing housing use). |
Local rent-control or just-cause rules can limit evictions: Yes. DC's Rent Stabilization Program covers many older rental units. Annual increase cap for covered units: lesser of CPI + 2% or 10% (registered elderly/disabled tenants: lowest of CPI, Social Security COLA, or 5%), at most once per 12 months, and only if the landlord is licensed/registered and the unit substantially complies with the housing code. All tenants (rent controlled or not) get at least 60 days' written notice of any rent increase.
Step 2: Write and deliver the notice correctly
| What the notice must say | At least 10 days before filing, a written notice of intent to file, only if $600 or more is owed (no eviction for unpaid late fees). Must contain the statutory language or substantively similar: the specific total rent owed; an attached ledger of charges and payments for the delinquency period; the right to stay if the balance is paid in full; that the landlord may sue only if $600+ is owed and unpaid; the right to defend in court and that only a court can order eviction; and phone numbers for the Office of the Tenant Advocate (202-719-6560) and the Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network (202-780-2575). Delivery: certified mail or tracked delivery service with return receipt, AND hand delivery to the unit or posting on the front door. Posting requires a timestamped photo filed with the court; notice must be translated if the landlord knows the tenant's primary language is another covered language. |
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| How it must be delivered | Every eviction requires a written notice. Notices for any reason other than nonpayment must be served on both the tenant and the Rent Administrator. If a notice or summons is served by posting, a photo with a readable timestamp must be filed with the court. The notice must be in the tenant's primary language if the landlord knows it is another covered language. The 10-day notice of intent to file for nonpayment must be sent by certified mail, or a delivery service with tracking, return receipt requested, and also hand-delivered to the unit or posted on its front door. For other Rental Housing Act documents, service may be made by hand, by leaving the document with a responsible person at the person's business or a person of suitable age at their residence, by mail, or as the Rental Housing Commission or Rent Administrator orders. No statute authorizes email service of eviction notices. |
Notice forms:
- District of Columbia notice to pay rent or quit — requirements and free draft
- District of Columbia notice to end a month-to-month tenancy — requirements and free draft
Step 3: File the eviction case and go to the hearing
Eviction cases in District of Columbia are heard in: D.C. Superior Court, Civil Division, Landlord and Tenant Branch.
- Written notice: 10-day notice of intent to file for nonpayment (only if $600+ owed); 30-day notice to cure or vacate for lease violations; longer notices for owner use, sale, renovation, demolition
- Landlord files a sworn complaint, certifying a valid rental housing license and rent registration/exemption
- Summons served at least 14 days before the initial hearing (posting requires mailing within 3 days and a timestamped photo)
- Initial hearing; default judgment if the tenant does not appear; otherwise trial or agreement
- Judgment for possession; in nonpayment cases the tenant can generally avoid eviction by paying all that is owed before the scheduled eviction date
- Writ of restitution; eviction scheduled and supervised by the U.S. Marshals Service; no evictions on days forecast below 32°F, above 95°F, or with precipitation
Court timing: Summons must be served at least 14 days before the initial hearing; tenant should appear at the initial hearing to avoid default.
Source: D.C. Code §§ 16-1501, 16-1502, 42-3505.01
How long it takes to evict a tenant in District of Columbia
For unpaid rent, the notice period is 10 days; after that comes the court process (filing, service, the tenant's answer and a hearing), then the final order and removal by an officer. Uncontested cases move fastest; a contested case, an appeal or a crowded court adds weeks. See how long evictions take in every state.
Evicting someone without a lease (family member, roommate, guest or squatter)
| Someone with no written lease who pays rent (month-to-month / at will) | Tenant: 30 days' written notice, expiring on the first day of a month at least 30 days after the notice. Landlord: cannot end a residential tenancy just because the lease or month ends; may evict only for one of the statutory causes in § 42-3505.01 (e.g., 90 days for owner use or sale, 120 days for renovation, 180 days for demolition or discontinuing housing use). |
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| Someone who was never a tenant (squatter / unauthorized occupant) | No squatter-specific statute identified. The possession statute covers anyone who 'detains possession of real property without right': the owner files a verified complaint in D.C. Superior Court for restitution of possession, and removal happens only by court judgment and writ executed by the U.S. Marshals. Source: D.C. Code § 16-1501(a) |
Mistakes that get eviction cases dismissed — or get landlords sued
| Changing locks / shutting off utilities | Self-help eviction is prohibited: landlord may not cut off utilities or change the locks to evict. Any eviction must follow a court order after the notice to vacate expires and be scheduled and supervised by the U.S. Marshals Service. |
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| Retaliation | Landlord may not retaliate (eviction, rent increase, service cuts, harassment, privacy violations, refusing to renew or honor the lease) for: witnessed or written repair requests, contacting officials about code violations, lawfully withholding rent after notice, tenant organizing, enforcing lease rights, or suing the landlord. If the landlord acts within 6 months after such an act, retaliation is presumed and the landlord must rebut it by clear and convincing evidence. Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.02 |
| Accepting rent after the notice | No statute found. D.C.'s eviction statute does not address whether accepting full or partial rent after a notice waives the eviction. It does provide that a tenant cannot be evicted while they keep paying the rent the housing provider is entitled to, even after the lease expires. A nonpayment case cannot be filed for less than $600 owed, and the pre-filing notice tells the tenant they may stay if the full balance is paid. Waiver by accepting rent is a matter of D.C. case law. |
Federal rules that can change the process
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: eviction protection: A landlord may not evict a covered servicemember or their family during military service without a court order. When the servicemember's ability to pay is materially affected by service, the court must on request stay the case for 90 days or adjust the lease. Knowingly evicting without a court order is a federal misdemeanor. More
- VAWA housing protections: An applicant or tenant cannot be denied, evicted or cut off from assistance because they are or were a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. The abuse cannot be treated as a serious lease violation by the victim. The landlord may 'bifurcate' (split) the lease to evict the abuser and keep the victim housed. Covered programs must also have an emergency transfer plan. A transfer is available on request if the tenant reasonably fears imminent harm, or if a sexual assault happened on the premises within the prior 90 days. More
- CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate (covered dwellings): The landlord of a covered dwelling may not require the tenant to leave until 30 days after giving a notice to vacate. The 120-day filing moratorium in the same section expired in July 2020, but the 30-day notice subsection has no expiration date in its text. More
- HUD 30-day nonpayment notice (public housing and project-based Section 8): Before filing an eviction for nonpayment, the landlord must give written notice at least 30 days in advance. The notice must itemize the rent owed by month, explain how to pay it off and by what date, and explain how to recertify income or request a hardship exemption. The notice cannot be served before the day after rent is due. If the tenant pays the amount owed within the 30 days, the landlord may not file the eviction. More
District of Columbia eviction FAQ for landlords
How much notice does a landlord have to give to evict for unpaid rent in District of Columbia?
At least 10 days' written notice of intent to file before filing a nonpayment eviction, on the statutory form (amount owed, ledger, right to cure, tenant-help phone numbers), sent by certified/tracked mail plus hand delivery or posting. No eviction case may be filed if less than $600 is owed, and no eviction for unpaid late fees.
Can a landlord change the locks to evict a tenant in District of Columbia?
Self-help eviction is prohibited: landlord may not cut off utilities or change the locks to evict. Any eviction must follow a court order after the notice to vacate expires and be scheduled and supervised by the U.S. Marshals Service.
How do you evict a tenant without a lease in District of Columbia?
Tenant: 30 days' written notice, expiring on the first day of a month at least 30 days after the notice. Landlord: cannot end a residential tenancy just because the lease or month ends; may evict only for one of the statutory causes in § 42-3505.01 (e.g., 90 days for owner use or sale, 120 days for renovation, 180 days for demolition or discontinuing housing use).
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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.