District of Columbia Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
District of Columbia rules on privacy, guests & animals for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No landlord-specific statute. It is a crime to install or maintain a peephole, mirror or any electronic device to secretly observe someone using a bathroom, undressing or engaged in sexual activity, or to record such a person without express and informed consent where they expect privacy. D.C. Code §§ 22-3531, 23-542; D.C. Code § 42-3505.51; D.C. Tenant Bill of Rights § 7
The rules in District of Columbia
| Cameras & privacy | No landlord-specific statute. It is a crime to install or maintain a peephole, mirror or any electronic device to secretly observe someone using a bathroom, undressing or engaged in sexual activity, or to record such a person without express and informed consent where they expect privacy. Intercepting oral or wire communications is illegal unless the person is a party or one party consents. Bathrooms and bedrooms must be private under the Housing Code. Outside emergencies, the landlord must give reasonable notice (48 hours unless the lease says otherwise or the tenant agrees) before entering. Retaliation for exercising tenant rights, including through privacy violations, is prohibited (Tenant Bill of Rights § 9). Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
|---|---|
| Guests & occupants | No guest-versus-tenant statute — the lease governs guests and roommates. The Housing Code sets space-based occupancy standards: every bedroom must have at least 70 square feet, and a bedroom used by more than one person must have at least 50 square feet per occupant. D.C.'s just-cause eviction rules (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01) limit evictions over lease violations such as unauthorized occupants; see the eviction fields. |
| Service & support animals (state law) | No D.C. statute specifically on service or emotional support animal documentation, misrepresentation penalties or pet-fee limits in housing. Requests to keep an assistance animal are reasonable-accommodation requests under the D.C. Human Rights Act's ban on disability discrimination in housing and the federal Fair Housing Act. § 2-1402.21 does not mention animals; the accommodation duty comes from its disability-discrimination provisions and federal law. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 2-1402.21 |
Related questions
- Can a landlord put cameras in or around a rental?
- Can a landlord limit overnight guests or roommates?
- Can a landlord deny a service or emotional support animal?
District of Columbia vs. neighboring states
| State | Cameras & privacy | Guests & occupants | Service & support animals (state law) |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | No landlord-specific statute. It is a crime to install or maintain a peephole, mirror or any electronic device to secretly observe someone using a bathroom, undressing or engaged in sexual activity, or to record such a person without express and informed consent where they expect privacy. Intercepting oral or wire communications is illegal unless the person is a party or one party consents. Bathrooms and bedrooms must be private under the Housing Code. Outside emergencies, the landlord must give reasonable notice (48 hours unless the lease says otherwise or the tenant agrees) before entering. D.C. Code §§ 22-3531, 23-542; D.C. Code § 42-3505.51; D.C. Tenant Bill of Rights § 7 | No guest-versus-tenant statute — the lease governs guests and roommates. The Housing Code sets space-based occupancy standards: every bedroom must have at least 70 square feet, and a bedroom used by more than one person must have at least 50 square feet per occupant. D.C. Housing Code (14 DCMR), as summarized by the Department of Buildings | No D.C. statute specifically on service or emotional support animal documentation, misrepresentation penalties or pet-fee limits in housing. Requests to keep an assistance animal are reasonable-accommodation requests under the D.C. Human Rights Act's ban on disability discrimination in housing and the federal Fair Housing Act. D.C. Code § 2-1402.21 |
| Maryland | No landlord-specific statute, but strong criminal rules apply. A person may not place a camera on real property where a private residence is located to deliberately and secretly observe someone inside the residence. It is not a defense that the defendant owns the residence. Exceptions include cameras placed with an adult resident's consent and cameras without intent to secretly observe people inside. Violations are a misdemeanor (up to 1 year and/or $2,500) and give the person observed a civil claim for damages and attorney fees. Secret surveillance with prurient intent in a private place such as a bedroom or bathroom is separately a crime. Recording private conversations generally requires the consent of ALL parties. Md. Code, Crim. Law § 3-903; § 3-902; Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 10-402(c)(3) | No statute — the lease governs guests, occupancy limits and roommates. Maryland's landlord-tenant title doesn't define guest versus tenant or give roommate rights. Fair housing law bars discrimination based on familial status and marital status. Md. Code, Real Prop. Title 8, Subtitles 1-4 (checked); State Gov't § 20-705 | A person with a disability (or a parent of a minor child with a disability) who has or wants a service animal is entitled to full and equal access to housing, and cannot be charged extra for the service animal. The tenant may be liable for damage the animal causes. State law defines 'service animal' as an animal individually trained to do work or tasks for a person with a disability. State fair housing law also bans disability discrimination in rentals. No state statute sets documentation rules for emotional support animals or penalizes misrepresenting an animal. Md. Code, Human Servs. §§ 7-701(g), 7-704(c); State Gov't § 20-705 |
| Virginia | No landlord camera statute. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor (Class 6 felony if the person is under 18) to knowingly create a video or still image of a nonconsenting person who is nude, in undergarments or undressed in a restroom, dressing room, locker room, hotel room, bedroom or other location where the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Virginia is a one-party consent state for audio interception. Tenants may install their own security systems (such as landlord-approved chain latches) subject to statutory conditions. Va. Code § 18.2-386.1; § 19.2-62(B)(2); § 55.1-1229(D) | Statutory definitions: an 'authorized occupant' lives in the unit with the landlord's consent but has not signed the lease and has no tenant financial obligations; a 'guest or invitee' has the tenant's permission to visit but not to occupy. No statewide occupancy limit; the lease governs. The tenant is responsible for the conduct of persons on the premises with the tenant's consent. A landlord may bar a guest or invitee from the property by written notice personally served for conduct that violates the lease or law (copy to the tenant), and may seek a trespass warrant; the tenant may challenge the bar by a tenant's assertion in general district court. Va. Code § 55.1-1200; § 55.1-1227(A)(12); § 55.1-1246 | A person with a disability who keeps an assistance animal must follow lease rules that apply to all residents (if they do not interfere with equal use), may not be charged a pet fee, pet deposit or additional rent for the animal, but is responsible for physical damage to the same extent pet owners are. If the disability and need are obvious or known, the housing provider may not ask for more verification; otherwise it may request reliable documentation of the disability and the disability-related need, including from anyone with a 'therapeutic relationship' with the person (licensed mental health providers, licensed disability service providers, certain peer support persons, caregivers or government entities with actual knowledge). Providing fraudulent supporting documentation is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. Va. Code § 36-96.3:1 |
More District of Columbia rental law
- District of Columbia Security Deposit Law
- District of Columbia Eviction Laws
- District of Columbia Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in District of Columbia
- District of Columbia Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- District of Columbia Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in District of Columbia
- Squatters' Rights in District of Columbia
- District of Columbia Rental Fee Rules
- District of Columbia Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- District of Columbia Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- District of Columbia Landlord Selling the House
- District of Columbia Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- District of Columbia Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All District of Columbia landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in District of Columbia
Compare privacy, guests & animals in all 50 states and DC →
District of Columbia Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules FAQ
Can a landlord put cameras in or around a rental in District of Columbia?
No landlord-specific statute. It is a crime to install or maintain a peephole, mirror or any electronic device to secretly observe someone using a bathroom, undressing or engaged in sexual activity, or to record such a person without express and informed consent where they expect privacy. Intercepting oral or wire communications is illegal unless the person is a party or one party consents. Bathrooms and bedrooms must be private under the Housing Code. Outside emergencies, the landlord must give reasonable notice (48 hours unless the lease says otherwise or the tenant agrees) before entering. (D.C. Code §§ 22-3531, 23-542; D.C. Code § 42-3505.51; D.C. Tenant Bill of Rights § 7)
Can a landlord limit guests or roommates in District of Columbia?
No guest-versus-tenant statute — the lease governs guests and roommates. The Housing Code sets space-based occupancy standards: every bedroom must have at least 70 square feet, and a bedroom used by more than one person must have at least 50 square feet per occupant. (D.C. Housing Code (14 DCMR), as summarized by the Department of Buildings)
Can a landlord deny a service or emotional support animal in District of Columbia?
No D.C. statute specifically on service or emotional support animal documentation, misrepresentation penalties or pet-fee limits in housing. Requests to keep an assistance animal are reasonable-accommodation requests under the D.C. Human Rights Act's ban on disability discrimination in housing and the federal Fair Housing Act. (D.C. Code § 2-1402.21)
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.