D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3271

Lead plumbing tenant disclosure requirements.

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 10/12/2026District of ColumbiaFederal Disclosure (Title X)

Operative Text

D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3271
(a) The owner of a dwelling unit shall provide a tenant, before the tenant is obligated under any contract to lease or renew the lease of the dwelling unit, the lead disclosure form provided by the Mayor pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, complete with any information that the owner knows about the following:

(1) The results of any lead tests conducted on the water supply of the property or dwelling unit;

(2) Lead-bearing plumbing, including a lead water service line serving the dwelling unit;

(3) Whether the portion of the lead water service line on private property, and the portion of the lead water service line on public property, that serves the property in which the dwelling unit is located has been replaced, and if so, the date of the replacement;

(4) Civil fines, penalties, and fees imposed on the owner as sanctions for any infraction of the provisions of this section; and

(5) Inclusion on the DC Water website as a property with lead water service lines.

(b) If the owner of the dwelling unit learns of the presence of lead-bearing plumbing or lead service lines serving a dwelling unit, the owner of the dwelling unit shall:

(1) Notify the tenant of the presence of the lead-bearing plumbing or lead service lines within 48 hours after discovering its presence; and

(2) Provide the tenant or owner-occupant with a completed disclosure form provided by the Mayor pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

(c) Within 90 days after March 13, 2019, the Mayor shall make public a lead disclosure form, which shall include:

(1) Spaces for owners to disclose the information required in subsection (a) of this section;

(2) A lead-in-water warning statement that:

(A) Residential dwellings built before 1986 are presumed to have lead service lines and lead-bearing plumbing;

(B) Lead service lines and lead-bearing plumbing are capable of releasing lead into water that can cause permanent health harm even when present in small amounts;

(C) Lead poisoning in young children may produce permanent neurological damage, learning disabilities, reduced intelligence quotient, behavioral problems, and impaired memory;

(D) Lead poisoning poses a particular risk to developing fetuses and pregnant women; and

(E) Tenants should consider obtaining a water filter that is certified by NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead removal and maintaining the water filter according to the manufacturer's instructions.

(d) Civil infraction fines, penalties, and fees may be imposed as alternative sanctions for any infraction of the provisions of this section pursuant to Chapter 18 of Title 2 . Adjudication of any infractions shall be pursuant to the Civil Infractions Act.

(e) The Mayor shall establish at least one method for a tenant to report violations of this section.

(f) For the purposes of this section, the term "dwelling unit" means a room or group of rooms that form a single independent habitable unit for permanent occupation by one or more individuals, that has living facilities with permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, and sanitation. The term "dwelling unit" shall not include:

(1) A unit within a hotel, motel, or seasonal or transient facility, unless such unit is or will be occupied by a person at risk for a period exceeding 30 days;

(2) An area within the dwelling unit that is secured and accessible only to authorized personnel; or

(3) An unoccupied dwelling unit that is to be demolished; provided, that the dwelling unit will remain unoccupied until demolition.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

D.C. Code § 42-3271 requires dwelling unit owners to give tenants a Mayor-issued lead disclosure form before any lease or renewal is signed, covering known lead test results, lead-bearing plumbing, water service line replacement history, and whether the property appears on DC Water's lead service line list. If an owner later discovers lead-bearing plumbing or lead service lines, the tenant must be notified within 48 hours and provided an updated disclosure form. Civil infraction fines, penalties, and fees can be imposed on owners who fail to meet these requirements, and the Mayor must maintain at least one channel through which tenants can report violations.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under D.C. Code § 42-3271, compliant property owners obtain the Mayor's official lead disclosure form and complete it with all known information about lead test results, lead-bearing plumbing, service line replacement dates, prior sanctions, and DC Water listing status before a prospective tenant signs any lease or renewal. Owners who discover lead-bearing plumbing or lead service lines after a tenancy begins generally provide written notice to the tenant within 48 hours and supply a completed disclosure form at that time. Keeping thorough records of lead testing, service line inspections, and any replacements supports the ability to accurately complete the required disclosures and demonstrate compliance.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

D.C. Code § 42-3271 gives tenants the right to receive a completed lead disclosure form from their landlord before signing or renewing a lease, and to receive updated notice within 48 hours if the landlord later learns of lead-bearing plumbing or lead service lines. If a landlord fails to provide the required disclosures, the Mayor is required to maintain at least one method for tenants to report such violations, and civil penalties may be imposed on non-compliant owners. Tenants who believe their landlord has not met these disclosure obligations may consider contacting the DC government's reporting channel, consulting a tenant-rights organization, or seeking independent legal guidance to understand available options.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 12, 2026
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Related Rules

§ 574.635
§ 574.635 Lead-based paint.
§ 196
Prohibited acts relating to lead-based paint, glaze or other substance; punishment; embargo of personal property
§ 35.940
§ 35.940 Special requirements for insular areas.

Source Information

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