14 DCMR § 14-207
LICENSE AND USER FEES
Operative Text
207.1 The following fees shall apply to a housing business in addition to the fees required for obtaining the business license: (a) Pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 42-3504.01 (2010 Repl.), an annual Rental Accommodations Division fee of twenty-one dollars and fifty cents ($21.50) per rental unit (which shall be collected at the initial issuance of the license and biennially at the renewal of the license in an amount of forty-three dollars ($43)); (b) Pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 42-3131.01(c) (2011 Supp.), a fee of ninety dollars ($90) shall be collected for any reinspection of a licensee’s premises for routine housing code violations. The fee shall be collected after the reinspection has occurred; (c) Pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 42-3131.01(d) (2010 Repl. & 2011 Supp.), abatement by the Department of any housing or building code violations on a licensee’s premises shall result in an initial administrative fee of one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175) and an additional fee of thirty dollars ($30) for each person-hour of labor performed on the abatement beyond the first person-hour of labor. These fees shall be in addition to the costs the Department incurs for the abatement of the violations; and (d) A fee to cover the cost of the Department’s proactive inspection program of thirty-five dollars ($35) per unit on rental accommodations of three (3) units or more shall be charged at the issuance and renewal of the license. The charge shall not exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) biennially.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 § 14-207 establishes a schedule of fees that housing businesses in the District of Columbia must pay beyond the standard business license fee. These fees include an annual Rental Accommodations Division charge per rental unit, a reinspection fee for routine housing code violations, cost-recovery fees when the Department abates code violations on a property, and a proactive inspection program fee for properties with three or more units. The proactive inspection fee is capped at $2,000 biennially, regardless of unit count.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 § 14-207, operators of rental housing in D.C. generally account for several fee obligations when budgeting for licensure. Compliant operators pay the $21.50-per-unit Rental Accommodations Division fee (collected as $43 at biennial renewal), the $35-per-unit proactive inspection fee (capped at $2,000 biennially) for properties with three or more units, and, if applicable, a $90 reinspection fee after any routine housing code reinspection. If the Department must step in to abate code violations, operators are responsible for an initial $175 administrative fee plus $30 per person-hour of labor beyond the first hour, on top of the Department's actual abatement costs.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 § 14-207 reflects the District's framework for funding rental housing oversight, including proactive inspections and code enforcement on rental properties. Tenants benefit indirectly from these provisions because the fees support reinspection and abatement programs designed to keep rental units up to housing code standards. Tenants who believe their landlord is not complying with housing code requirements may consider contacting the D.C. Department of Buildings, reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization, or exploring complaint processes available through the Rental Accommodations Division.
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.
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