Washington DC Residential Lease Agreement
Generate a residential lease agreement that complies with Washington DC's local ordinances — including rent control rules, just-cause eviction requirements, and mandatory disclosures that go beyond District of Columbia state law.
Washington DC Residential Lease Agreement
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Local Ordinances
Washington DC Lease Requirements
What Washington DC's local ordinances require that District of Columbia state law does not.
Rental housing providers in DC must register with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Rental Accommodations Division (RAD) and obtain a basic business license as a housing provider; unregistered landlords may not pursue eviction or collect rent increases.
Landlords of rent-controlled units must provide tenants with a copy of the RAD Tenant Rights notice and the DC Tenant Bill of Rights (D.C. Official Code §42-3502.22) at the start of each tenancy and upon request.
Before selling a building with two or more rental units, landlords must comply with the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA, D.C. Official Code §42-3404.02), which requires a written offer of sale to tenants at the same price and terms offered to any third-party buyer; tenants have the right to purchase individually (single-unit buildings), as a group, or to assign their rights to a qualified purchaser.
Landlords must provide tenants with a written Housing Accommodation Registration Certificate (or exemption certificate) and must post a copy in the common area of the building; failure to do so is a defense in any eviction proceeding.
Any notice of rent increase for a rent-controlled unit must be filed with RAD on a RAD-prescribed form simultaneously with service on the tenant; increases not filed with RAD are invalid and may not be collected.
Restrictions & Limits
Annual rent increases for rent-controlled units (generally all rental units in DC except those built after 1975, single-family homes, and units exempt by certificate) are limited to the lesser of CPI-W (Washington metro area) plus 2%, or 10% per year; for elderly (62+) and disabled tenants, the cap is CPI-W or 5%, whichever is less, per D.C. Official Code §42-3502.08.
Tenants in rent-controlled units may not be evicted without good cause; permissible grounds under the Rental Housing Act (§42-3505.01) include non-payment, material lease violation, building withdrawal from the rental market, and substantial rehabilitation — but not mere lease expiration or the landlord's desire to re-let at a higher rent.
For no-fault evictions (including housing provider personal use, sale of unit, or building withdrawal), landlords must provide 90 days' written notice and may be required to pay relocation assistance; the amount is set by DHCD and varies by unit type and tenant income.
Landlords may not impose lease terms that waive any right under the DC Rental Housing Act or the TOPA; any such waiver is void under D.C. Official Code §42-3502.19.
For units not subject to rent control, landlords may not increase rent during the first 12 months of a tenancy, and thereafter must give 30 days' written notice before any increase takes effect, per D.C. Official Code §42-3509.02.
Notice Requirements
DC landlords must provide 30 days' written notice for rent increases in non-controlled units and must file increases in controlled units with RAD simultaneously with tenant service; no-fault evictions require 90 days' written notice, and evictions for non-payment require a 30-day demand for rent before filing in DC Superior Court.
FAQ
Washington DC Lease FAQ
Common questions about renting in Washington DC.
How does DC's Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) work?
Under TOPA (D.C. Official Code §42-3404), when a landlord decides to sell a rental building, tenants have a right of first refusal to purchase the building at the same price and on the same terms being offered to outside buyers. Landlords must serve a written Offer of Sale on all tenants simultaneously; tenants then have specific windows (ranging from 30 to 120 days depending on building size) to organize, negotiate, and exercise or assign their purchase rights. TOPA applies even to buildings with as few as one rental unit.
Is my apartment covered by DC rent control?
DC rent control covers most rental units except those in buildings issued a certificate of occupancy after 1975, single-family homes, and units owned by a landlord who owns no more than four rental units in DC; certain subsidized units and government-owned units are also exempt. Your landlord must provide you with a written exemption certificate if claiming any exemption; absent a certificate, the unit is presumed to be rent-controlled. You can verify coverage at the RAD Rental Housing Registry on the DHCD website.
What is the maximum rent increase allowed for a rent-controlled unit in DC?
Under D.C. Official Code §42-3502.08, the maximum annual increase for most rent-controlled tenants is CPI-W (Washington metro area) plus 2%, capped at 10%; for tenants who are elderly (62 or older) or have a disability, the cap is CPI-W or 5%, whichever is less. For 2024, DHCD announced an allowable increase of 8.9% for general tenants and 5% for elderly/disabled tenants. Increases above these limits require a hardship petition filed with and approved by RAD.
What must a landlord do before evicting a tenant in DC?
DC law requires good cause for all evictions of tenants in covered units; the landlord must first issue the appropriate notice (a 30-day demand for possession for non-payment, or a notice to cure or vacate for lease violations), then file a complaint in DC Superior Court's Landlord & Tenant Branch if the tenant does not comply. Tenants have a right to cure non-payment by paying all rent owed through the court date in most circumstances. Self-help evictions (lock-outs, utility shutoffs) are illegal and subject the landlord to civil liability and criminal penalties under D.C. Official Code §42-3505.02.
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