D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3504.01
Rental unit fee.
Operative Text
(a) (1) Each housing provider not exempt from rental control pursuant to § 42-3502.05(a) or (e) , except those exempt pursuant to § 42-3502.05(a)(3) , shall pay an annual rental unit fee of $30 for each rental unit in a housing accommodation registered by the housing provider. The rental unit fee shall be: (A) Paid to the District government at the time the housing provider applies for a basic business license or a renewal of the basic business license, or in the case of a housing accommodation for which no basic business license is required, at the time and in the manner that the licensing agency may determine; and (B) Deposited as set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection. (2) (A) $21.50 of each rental unit fee shall be deposited in the fund established pursuant to § 42-3131.01(b) . (B) $3.50 of each rental unit fee shall be deposited in the Rental Unit Fee Fund established pursuant to § 42-3504.02 . (C) The remainder shall be deposited into the unrestricted balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia. (b) Repealed. (c) A nonprofit rental housing provider shall be exempt from the rental unit fee if the provider: (1) Establishes rent schedules for 440 or more subsidized housing units affordable to tenants from low-income, very-low income, or extremely low-income households, as these incomes are defined in § 42-2801 ; and (2) Does not receive subsidies but whose income-restricted units would otherwise satisfy the eligibility requirements under: (A) The Housing Choice Voucher Program under 42 U.S.C. § 1437(f); or (B) The Low Income Housing Tax Credit under 26 U.S.C. § 42. (d) For the purposes of this section, the term “nonprofit rental housing provider” means an organization operating rental units or housing accommodations on a nonprofit basis under which no part of the net earnings of the housing provider inure to the benefit of or are distributable to its directors, officers, or any other private individual except as reasonable compensation for services rendered to the nonprofit housing provider.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3504.01, most housing providers subject to the District's rental control laws must pay an annual fee of $30 for each registered rental unit. The fee is collected alongside the basic business license process, and the collected funds are split among a dedicated housing fund, the Rental Unit Fee Fund, and the District's general fund. Certain nonprofit providers that serve a large number of low-income households and meet specific subsidy-related criteria are exempt from this fee requirement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Housing providers covered by D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3504.01 generally pay the $30-per-unit annual rental unit fee when applying for or renewing a basic business license, or at a time determined by the licensing agency if no such license is required. Compliant operators keep accurate counts of their registered rental units and submit the correct total fee amount on schedule. Nonprofit providers who believe they may qualify for the exemption—based on the number of subsidized units and the absence of direct subsidies—typically document their eligibility carefully to support any exemption claim.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3504.01 establishes a fee that landlords subject to rental control must pay annually for each registered unit, with portions of those funds directed toward housing-related programs that can benefit tenants. If a tenant has reason to believe their housing provider is not properly registered or is failing to pay required fees, they may consider contacting the District's licensing or housing agencies to inquire about compliance. Tenant-rights organizations in the District can help explain how this provision interacts with broader rental control protections and what options may be available.
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 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation