Eviction notice rules in District of Columbia
Nonpayment notice
30-day written notice of intent to file for nonpayment BEFORE filing (D.C. Code §42-3505.01(a-1)). Notice must contain prescribed language: exact amount owed with ledger, the tenant's right to remain if paid in full, filing rights, and legal-aid contacts (Office of the Tenant Advocate 202-719-6560). Landlord may NOT issue this notice unless the tenant owes at least $600 in rent.
Lease-violation notice
30 days to correct a tenancy violation other than nonpayment (D.C. Code §42-3505.01(b)); only if uncured may the landlord recover possession.
Unconditional quit (no second chance)
Illegal act on the premises (court-determined): 30-day notice to vacate, no cure (§42-3505.01(c)). For dangerous crimes/crimes of violence (not in self-defense), a 10-day notice to vacate applies to cases filed after Dec 31, 2025. Tenant may be evicted for another occupant's act only if the tenant knew or should have known.
No-cause / end-of-tenancy notice
No no-cause eviction — DC is a just-cause jurisdiction; the statute lists exclusive grounds for recovery of possession (§42-3505.01). Month-to-month tenancies cannot be terminated without a listed cause.
How the notice must be served
Every notice to quit must be served in English AND Spanish: personally if the tenant can be found; otherwise to a person of proper age on the premises; otherwise posted conspicuously on the premises AND mailed first-class U.S. mail within 3 calendar days of posting (D.C. Code §42-3206). Defective service = invalid notice.
Your right to fix it (cure)
Nonpayment: right to remain if the total balance is paid in full (statutory notice language). Non-rent violations: 30 days to correct. Illegal activity: no cure.
How days are counted
Day-counting and weekend/holiday rules <em>reported — confirm with a licensed attorney</em>. Note: Superior Court Rule 6(c) adds 3 days after service by regular first-class mail for response deadlines.
After the notice expires
Landlord files in the Landlord and Tenant Branch of D.C. Superior Court. Tenant does NOT have to leave when notice expires; only a court can order eviction, and only a U.S. Marshal may execute the writ of restitution. Self-help is illegal.
Court timeline
Summons and initial hearing typically weeks after filing; jury-trial right available; contested cases run several months. Emergency Rental Assistance applications can stay proceedings.
Retaliation & defenses
Retaliatory action prohibited (D.C. Code §42-3505.02 — citation unverified, needs attorney review). VAWA, ADA, and Fair Housing Act protections expressly preserved in the eviction statute.
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