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Washington DC Eviction Laws: Notice Requirements, Process, and Timelines

Washington, D.C. handles evictions through the Landlord and Tenant Branch of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, governed by D.C. Code § 42-3505.01 and Title 16, Chapter 15. D.C. is one of the most tenant-protective jurisdictions in the country with strong “just cause” eviction requirements—landlords cannot evict tenants simply because a lease expires if the tenant continues paying rent. The standard notice period is 30 days for nonpayment and lease violations, with longer notice periods (90-180 days) for no-fault evictions. Uniquely, the U.S. Marshals Service (not a local sheriff) executes all evictions in D.C. Below you’ll find everything landlords need to know.

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Disclaimer: This is general educational information, not legal advice. Consult a qualified D.C. attorney for specific legal guidance.

Governing Law and Court System

Washington, D.C. evictions are governed by:

D.C. Code § 42-3505.01: Primary eviction statute (Rental Housing Act)
D.C. Code § 42-3505.01a: Storage and disposal of tenant property
D.C. Code Title 16, Chapter 15: Court procedures
D.C. Code § 42-3202: Month-to-month termination

Court: Landlord and Tenant Branch, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

Filing fees: $15-$100 depending on case type. Writ of Restitution fee: $213 total (covers issuance, administrative expenses, and U.S. Marshals execution).

Just Cause Eviction—Critical Requirement

D.C. law provides extremely strong tenant protections:

No tenant can be evicted simply because a lease expires—if tenant continues paying rent, they have right to remain
Landlords MUST have one of the specific statutory reasons to evict
Even month-to-month tenants cannot be removed without just cause
Nonpayment of late fees alone is NOT grounds for eviction

Self-Help Eviction Prohibited

Self-help evictions are strictly illegal in D.C. Landlords cannot:

Change locks
Cut off utilities
Remove tenant’s belongings
Physically remove tenant

Only the U.S. Marshals Service can execute evictions in D.C. Contact Metropolitan Police Department if landlord attempts self-help eviction.

Legal Grounds for Eviction

Under D.C. Code § 42-3505.01, landlords may evict for:

Fault-Based Grounds

Nonpayment of rent: Tenant owes at least $600 (cannot file if less than $600 owed)
Lease violations: Tenant violates obligation of tenancy
Illegal activity: Tenant or guest performs illegal act in unit or building (tenant must have known or should have known)
Health/safety violations: Tenant creates dangerous conditions

No-Fault Grounds (Requires Longer Notice)

Owner move-in: Natural person with freehold interest seeks unit for personal use (90-day notice)
Sale of property: Buyer seeks unit for immediate personal use (90-day notice)
Renovation: Unit cannot be safely occupied during renovations (120-day notice; renovations must start within 120 days; tenant has right to return)
Demolition: Housing provider seeks to demolish building (180-day notice)
Discontinuance of rental use: Stop renting the property (180-day notice)
Condo/co-op conversion: After securing governmental approval

Notice Requirements

30-Day Notice for Nonpayment of Rent

Can only be issued if tenant owes at least $600
If tenant owes less than $600, landlord can notify of amount due but CANNOT file eviction
5-day grace period before notice can be served (rent not “late” until day 6)
30 days to pay in full or vacate
Notice must include specific statutory language about tenant rights
Must include contact information for Office of Tenant Advocate and Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network

(D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a-1))

30-Day Notice for Lease Violations

30 days to cure violation or vacate
Must specify the violation and what tenant must do to cure
Notice must be served on BOTH tenant AND Rent Administrator

(D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(b))

30-Day Notice for Illegal Activity

30 days to vacate (no cure option)
Tenant can only be evicted if they “knew or should have known” illegal act was taking place
Examples: drug distribution, unlicensed cannabis business, storing illegal weapons

(D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(c))

90-Day Notice (No-Fault: Personal Use/Sale)

Owner move-in for personal use
Sale to buyer for personal use
Tenant must be given opportunity to purchase under D.C. TOPA (Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act)

(D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(d), (e))

120-Day Notice (Renovation)

Major renovation where tenant cannot safely occupy
Renovations must begin within 120 days of tenant vacating
Tenant has right to return after completion (unless waived in writing)

(D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(f))

180-Day Notice (Demolition/Discontinuance)

Demolition of building
Discontinuing rental use
Must provide permit to Rent Administrator
Tenant entitled to relocation assistance information

(D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(g), (h))

Required Notice Contents

D.C. has strict notice content requirements:

Reason for eviction
Amount owed (for nonpayment)
Time period to cure or vacate
Tenant’s right to defend in court
Contact information: Office of Tenant Advocate (202-719-6560) and Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network (202-780-2575)
Specific statutory language required for nonpayment notices
Information about Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
Copy of Tenant Bill of Rights

Language Requirements

If landlord knows tenant speaks a primary language other than English or Spanish that is covered under D.C. Language Access Act (§ 2-1933), notice must be provided in that language. Languages include: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Tagalog, Vietnamese.

Serving the Notice

Notice must be served by BOTH methods:

Method 1: Certified mail or delivery service with tracking confirmation, return receipt requested
Method 2: Hand delivery to rental unit OR posting on front door

Critical: If served by posting, landlord must provide court with timestamped photograph showing date and time notice was posted. Case may be dismissed without this evidence.

Filing the Complaint for Possession

After notice period expires without compliance:

File Complaint for Possession of Real Property with Landlord and Tenant Branch
Pay filing fee ($15-$100)
For non-rent violations, file copy with Rent Administrator (RAD)
Court issues Summons with hearing date

Required documentation:

Copy of lease agreement
Proof notice was served (affidavit of service, certified mail receipt, timestamped photo)
Rent ledger/payment history (for nonpayment)
Property registration with RAD (if applicable)
Current business license for rental housing

Service of Summons

Summons served at least 7 days before initial hearing (5 days for drug-related evictions)
Service by process server, special process officer, or U.S. Marshals
Hearing scheduled 21 days after complaint filed (14 days for drug-related)

Court Hearing

At hearing:

Both parties present evidence
Court may offer mediation
Most decisions made same day
Complex cases may take additional days

If landlord wins:

Court issues Judgment for Possession
Landlord requests Writ of Restitution

If tenant wins:

Tenant remains in possession
Case dismissed

Tenant’s Right to Redeem

For nonpayment evictions, tenant can redeem tenancy by paying full amount owed (rent + court costs + fees) at any time up until the moment U.S. Marshals execute the eviction. Payment must be in cash or certified funds after writ is issued.

Appeal

Tenant has 30 days to appeal the court’s decision.

Writ of Restitution

After judgment:

Landlord must wait 2 business days after judgment to file writ
Must present current business license for rental housing when filing writ (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(q))
Writ forwarded to U.S. Marshals Service
If money judgment included, execution automatically stayed at least 10 days
Writ valid for 75 days—eviction must be executed within this period

U.S. Marshals Execution

D.C. is unique—U.S. Marshals Service (not local sheriff) executes all evictions:

USMS makes up to 3 attempts to schedule eviction by phone with landlord
After 3rd failed attempt, writ is cancelled
Once scheduled, tenant receives notice by first-class mail
Landlord must notify tenant at least 21 days before eviction by: (1) phone/email/text, (2) first-class mail, and (3) posting on door
Tenant gets 3 days’ notice once writ is posted before Marshals arrive
No evictions on weekends, holidays, or judicial training days

On eviction day:

Marshals oversee the removal
Landlord changes locks in presence of Marshals (at landlord’s expense)
Landlord receives document from Marshals confirming possession
Tenant’s right to redeem is extinguished at this moment

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)

D.C. has strong ERAP protections:

Court may stay proceedings if tenant has pending ERAP application (one stay per case)
If tenant notifies landlord of approved ERAP application within 48 hours before scheduled eviction that would pay full amount, landlord MUST cancel eviction
If tenant has pending ERAP application and notifies landlord 48 hours before eviction, landlord must reschedule eviction for no earlier than 3 weeks later

(D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(r))

Stay of Eviction

Tenant can file “Application for Stay of Execution of Writ of Restitution” asking judge to temporarily halt eviction. Grounds include:

Filing Motion to Vacate Default Judgment, Motion for Reconsideration, or Appeal
Landlord failed to provide 21 days’ notice of eviction date
Tenant has paid or can pay full amount owed
Landlord agreed not to evict

Domestic Violence Protection

Strong protections for victims (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(c-1)):

Defense to eviction if tenant is victim (or parent/guardian of minor victim) of intrafamily offense
If tenant has protective order requiring abuser to vacate, court shall NOT enter judgment for possession
If tenant filed for but hasn’t received protective order, court has discretion not to enter judgment

Abandoned Property

Under D.C. Code § 42-3505.01a:

Personal property left in unit must remain for 7 days after eviction (excluding Sundays and federal holidays)
Landlord must exercise reasonable care in storing property during this period
Notice of eviction must include phone numbers for Marshals, Office of Tenant Advocate, and court
After 7 days, landlord may dispose of property
If property sold, proceeds apply to tenant’s debt; remaining funds forwarded to tenant

Tenant Defenses

Improper notice: Wrong type, insufficient days, missing required language, no timestamped photo of posted notice
Amount owed under $600: Cannot file eviction for nonpayment under this threshold
Late fees only: Nonpayment of late fees alone is not grounds for eviction
No just cause: Lease expiration alone is not sufficient
Failure to provide notice in tenant’s language: If landlord knew tenant speaks covered language
Domestic violence victim
Retaliation: Eviction in response to tenant exercising legal rights
Habitability issues
No business license: Landlord must have current rental housing business license
Pending ERAP application

Retaliatory Eviction Prohibited

Landlord cannot evict in retaliation for tenant:

Reporting housing violations to D.C. officials
Addressing habitability concerns to landlord
Withholding rent after notifying landlord of noncompliance
Participating in tenant’s union or organization
Pursuing legal remedies for habitability issues
Initiating legal action against landlord

Typical Timeline

Grace period: 5 days before rent is “late”
Notice period: 30 days (nonpayment/violations); 90-180 days (no-fault)
Filing to hearing: 21 days (14 for drug-related)
Service before hearing: At least 7 days (5 for drug-related)
Judgment to writ filing: 2 business days minimum
Writ lifespan: 75 days
Landlord notice of eviction date: 21 days before
Writ posted to execution: 3 days
Total (uncontested): 2-4 months
Contested/complex: 4-8+ months

Best Practices for D.C. Landlords

Ensure you have valid just cause—lease expiration alone is NOT sufficient
Cannot file nonpayment eviction if tenant owes less than $600
Wait until after 5-day grace period to serve nonpayment notice
Use RAD Form 10 for nonpayment notices (includes required statutory language)
Serve notice by BOTH certified mail AND hand delivery/posting
If posting notice, take timestamped photograph with readable date/time
Serve non-rent notices on both tenant AND Rent Administrator
Include required contact information and Tenant Bill of Rights
Provide notice in tenant’s language if you know they speak covered non-English language
Have current business license for rental housing when filing writ
Register property with RAD if required
Provide 21 days’ notice before scheduled eviction date (3 methods)
Respond promptly to USMS scheduling calls (3 failed attempts = cancelled writ)
If tenant has pending/approved ERAP application, follow required procedures
Never attempt self-help eviction

Quick Reference: D.C. Eviction Rules

Minimum amount to file nonpayment eviction: $600
Grace period: 5 days
Nonpayment notice: 30 days
Lease violation notice: 30 days (cure)
Illegal activity notice: 30 days (no cure)
Owner move-in/sale: 90 days
Renovation: 120 days
Demolition/discontinuance: 180 days
Service before hearing: 7 days (5 for drug-related)
Filing to hearing: 21 days (14 for drug-related)
Appeal period: 30 days
Writ lifespan: 75 days
Landlord eviction notice to tenant: 21 days
Writ posted to execution: 3 days
Abandoned property storage: 7 days
Filing fee: $15-$100
Writ fee (total): $213
Eviction executed by: U.S. Marshals Service
Governing law: D.C. Code § 42-3505.01, Title 16 Chapter 15

Bottom line: Washington, D.C. has some of the strongest tenant protections in the country. Landlords cannot evict tenants simply because a lease expires—just cause is required. The minimum threshold for nonpayment eviction is $600 owed. Standard notice is 30 days for nonpayment and lease violations, with much longer periods (90-180 days) for no-fault evictions like owner move-in or demolition. Notices have strict content and service requirements, including timestamped photos if posting. The U.S. Marshals Service—not a local sheriff—executes all evictions. Tenants can redeem their tenancy by paying in full up until the moment Marshals execute the writ. ERAP protections may require landlords to reschedule evictions. Domestic violence victims have strong protections. Total timeline typically runs 2-4 months for uncontested cases, longer if contested. Given D.C.’s complex requirements, many landlords find it advisable to work with an attorney experienced in D.C. landlord-tenant law.