Rent Control

The rent control law is the Rental Housing Act of 1985 (DC Law 6-10) as amended (the Act), which is codified at DC Official Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. Under the Act, an apartment building or apartment complex is called a housing accommodation, and a single apartment or house is called a rental unit. A renter is simply called the tenant, but the landlord is called the housing provider.

The Rental Accommodations Division (RAD) administers the Act.

The Act applies to all rental housing accommodations in the District of Columbia. Certain parts of the Act, such as eviction protections, apply to all District tenants. Title II of the Act is rent stabilization, which applies to any non-exempt rental unit. All rental units must be registered with the RAD either as subject to rent control or exempt from rent control. For any unit that is not registered with RAD, rent control automatically applies.

The most common exemptions from rent control are for rental units that are:

Federally or District-subsidized
Built after 1975
Owned by a natural person (i.e., not a corporation) who owns no more than four rental units in the District
Vacant when the Act took effect

Important Rental Accommodations Division Update

The Rental Housing Commission finalized Rent Stabilization Program regulations for the Rental Housing Act of 1985 (Act) (D.C. Official Code 2001 ed., as amended, sect. 42-3501.01 et seq.). The rules were published in volume 68, number 49 of the District of Columbia Register on December 3, 2021 and may be viewed at Search - DCRegs. The new rules will go into effect on December 31, 2021. The rulemaking implements rules under the Act in Title 14 (Housing) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, Chapters 38-41.

Please see the Rental Housing Commission’s website for further information and a public memorandum from the Commission’s general counsel for guidance on critical changes at Two Major Changes Coming to the District’s Rental Housing Laws | rhc (dc.gov).