Can a landlord change the locks to force a tenant out in District of Columbia?
No. Self-help eviction is illegal in the District and only the U.S. Marshals Service may execute a writ. D.C. Code § 42-3505.01. In District of Columbia a tenant may be removed only through the court process, which 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 |
|---|---|
| Changing the locks, cutting a utility or removing belongings | Unlawful |
| Who may remove a tenant | Only a court officer acting on a court order |
Notes
The District requires a 30-day notice to cure or vacate for nonpayment, a current Basic Business Licence and rent registration, and a Certificate of Rental Accommodation — and the tenant may cure at any time up to judgment.
Source
D.C. Code §§ 42-3505.01, 16-1501, 16-1502; D.C. Super. Ct. L&T R. 3 — last checked 2026-09-16.
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.
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