District of Columbia landlord-tenant law on this site
The District of Columbia regulates rents under its own law, the Rental Housing Act of 1985, with no state above it. Landlord Atlas records that law as a local rent-regulation record, the same way it records a city or county ordinance elsewhere. The site's twelve statewide topic pages — security deposits, rent increase notice, late fees, entry notice, eviction process, application & screening fees, deposit interest, habitability & repairs, lease termination, lease disclosures, pets & assistance animals and mobile home parks — cover the 50 states and do not cover the District.
Rent regulation in the District of Columbia
- District of Columbia — Rent Stabilization Program
In the District of Columbia, rent on a unit covered by the Rent Stabilization Program may rise by no more than 4.1% in the year beginning May 1, 2026, and by no more than 2.1% where the tenant has registered as age 62 or older or as having a disability.
Each record cites the D.C. Code and the Rental Housing Commission's own publications and carries the date it was last verified.
Also for the District
- District of Columbia rent table — HUD Fair Market Rents and Small Area Fair Market Rents for the District.
- DC voucher payment standards and the FY2027 Small Area FMRs — a research piece on the District's voucher program.
- Where cities can set rent limits — the 50-state preemption map, which lists the District's record with the local regimes.