What are the steps to evict a tenant for unpaid rent in District of Columbia?
In District of Columbia, an eviction for unpaid rent runs through 5 steps, each set by the statute or court rule beside it: (1) Confirm the Basic Business License and rent registration — D.C. Code § 42-3502.05(f); (2) Serve a notice of intent to file, at least 10 days before filing — D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a-1); (3) File a complaint in the Landlord and Tenant Branch — D.C. Code § 16-1501; (4) Initial hearing — D.C. Super. Ct. L&T R. 10; (5) Writ of restitution executed by the U.S. Marshals — D.C. Code § 42-3505.01. Since the RENTAL Act took effect on December 31, 2025, a nonpayment case needs a written notice of intent to file served at least 10 days before filing (it was 30), and no case may be filed for less than $600. The District also requires a current Basic Business License and rent registration, and an unpaid late fee is never a ground for eviction. The procedure as a whole is set by D.C. Code §§ 42-3505.01, 16-1501, 16-1502; D.C. Super. Ct. L&T R. 3.
| What | District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Landlord and Tenant Branch. |
| Steps with a citation | 5 |
| Cause needed to end a tenancy | Yes, for most tenancies |
Notes
Since the RENTAL Act took effect on December 31, 2025, a nonpayment case needs a written notice of intent to file served at least 10 days before filing (it was 30), and no case may be filed for less than $600. The District also requires a current Basic Business License and rent registration, and an unpaid late fee is never a ground for eviction.
Source
D.C. Code §§ 42-3505.01, 16-1501, 16-1502; D.C. Super. Ct. L&T R. 3
Read the statute in the Code of the District of Columbia (DC Council): code.dccouncil.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.
Guides on this rule
- Can a Landlord Send an Eviction Notice by Email or Text? — The federal E-SIGN Act excludes eviction notices, so state law decides how a notice to pay or quit must be served. California, New York and Florida rules.
- Landlord Retaliation Laws: Protected Tenant Acts and Time Limits — When an eviction, rent increase or cut in services is presumed retaliatory: 180 days in California, six months in Texas, a year in New York.
- The CARES Act 30-Day Notice to Vacate: Is It Still Required? — The CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate still applies to properties with federally backed mortgages or federal assistance. Which properties are covered, and why.
- VAWA Housing Protections: What Assisted-Housing Landlords Must Do — The Violence Against Women Act protects survivors in public housing, vouchers, LIHTC and other assisted housing. Who it covers and what owners must do.
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