What a Landlord Cannot Do in District of Columbia
The main limits District of Columbia law puts on landlords — lockouts and utility shutoffs, entering without notice, retaliation, deposits, fees and discrimination — each with the statute or official source.
In short: a District of Columbia landlord cannot evict without a court order, cannot punish a tenant for asserting legal rights where state law protects them, and must follow the state's rules on entry, deposits and fees shown below.
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | 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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| Landlord entry notice | Written notice at least 48 hours in advance (unless the tenant agrees in writing to less), entry only 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and not on Sundays or federal holidays (unless the tenant agrees), and only for a listed reasonable purpose. No notice needed in an emergency. Email/text notice counts only if the tenant acknowledges it in writing; otherwise paper notice is also required. Court may enjoin improper entry and award damages for breach of quiet enjoyment. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.51 |
| Landlord 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. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.02 |
| Security deposit limit | May not exceed the initial monthly rent (one month's rent), and must be held in an interest-bearing account. Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
| Penalty for withholding | A housing provider who fails to return a security deposit rightfully owed is liable to the tenant for the amount withheld, or treble damages if it acted in bad faith. Failing to pay interest owed on the deposit makes the provider liable to the tenant for the interest, or treble that amount in bad faith; a willful failure to pay interest carries a civil fine of up to $5,000 per violation. 'Bad faith' means a frivolous or unfounded refusal motivated by a fraudulent, deceptive, dishonest, or unreasonably self-serving purpose, not simple negligence or an honest belief. Taken from the enacted amending acts (D.C. Law 19-140, approved Apr. 9, 2012; D.C. Law 16-276, https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/laws/docs/16-276.pdf); check the current 14 DCMR text at dcregs.dc.gov for later rulemaking. Deposit complaints may also be heard by the Office of Administrative Hearings (D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(b)). Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
| Late fees | No more than 5% of the full rent due, only if the written lease states the maximum fee and rent is not paid within 5 days after the due date (or a longer lease grace period). Only one late fee per late payment; no interest on late fees; cannot be deducted from later rent; no eviction for unpaid late fees; no late fee on a subsidy provider's share. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.31 |
| Rent control / increase limits | 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. |
| Statewide ban on refusing Section 8 / source of income | Yes. The D.C. Human Rights Act bars refusing to rent or discriminating in terms because of source of income, and expressly treats Section 8 assistance paid to the owner (directly or through the tenant) as a source of income. Covers housing vouchers and other lawful income. Holding deposits may not be required from voucher holders (§ 42-3505.10(b)(5)). Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 2-1402.21(a), (e) |
| 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. |
| Other rental fees | A housing provider may not charge fees 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, or administrative fees for third-party billing. From Jan. 1, 2027, utility charges for common areas or vacant units may not be billed separately (only through rent; RUBS allocation still allowed). Late fees: max 5% of rent, only if disclosed in the written lease and rent is more than 5 days late; charged once per late payment, no interest, and never grounds for eviction. § 42-3505.11 (D.C. Law 26-156, eff. Aug. 14, 2026): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/42-3505.11; § 42-3505.31: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/42-3505.31 Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
Can I sue my landlord in District of Columbia? · All 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.