14 DCMR § 14-400
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Operative Text
400.1 No owner, licensee, or tenant shall occupy or permit the occupancy of any habitation in violation of this subtitle. 400.2 Every owner or licensee shall advise each tenant in writing, either by insertion in the lease between the parties or otherwise, of the maximum number of occupants permitted under this subtitle in the habitation leased or rented to that tenant. 400.3 No person shall rent or offer to rent any habitation, or the furnishings of a habitation, unless the habitation and its furnishings are in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition, in repair, and free from rodents or vermin. 400.4 The owner or licensee of each residential building shall provide and maintain the facilities, utilities, and services required by this subtitle. 400.5 Each facility and utility provided in a residential building to comply with the requirements of this subtitle shall be properly and safely installed, and shall be maintained in a safe and good working condition. 400.6 If an owner or licensee of any residential building furnishes any facilities for cooking, storage, or refrigeration of food, those facilities shall be maintained by the owner or licensee in a safe and good working condition. 400.7 No person shall rent or offer for rent any habitation or operate any housing business in any building, or part of a building, in which there is another business, trade, or commercial activity from which noxious gases, fumes, mists, vapors, dusts, offensive odors, or excessive noise arise or are generated. 400.8 The use of any building or other structure (or any part of any building or structure) as a tenement unit or tenement house is prohibited. AUTHORITY: Unless otherwise noted, the authority for this chapter is contained in paragraphs 28 and 46 of section 7 of An Act To make appropriations to provide for the government of the District of Columbia for fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and three, and for other purposes (“Act of 1902”), Public, 218, 32 Stat. 590 approved July 1, 1902, as amended by: An Act approved July 1, 1932, to amend section 7 [of the Act of 1902], Public, 237, 47 Stat. 550 (1932); and An Act approved July 22, 1947, Public Law 215, 61 Stat. 402.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-400 establishes baseline standards for residential habitations in the District of Columbia. The provision prohibits renting or occupying any dwelling that is not clean, safe, sanitary, and free from rodents or vermin, and bars rental activity in buildings where noxious gases, fumes, or excessive noise are generated by co-located commercial activity. Owners and licensees are required to disclose maximum occupancy limits in writing to tenants and to maintain all facilities, utilities, and services—including cooking, storage, and refrigeration equipment—in safe and good working condition. The use of any building as a tenement unit or tenement house is expressly prohibited under this section.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-400 generally ensure that every rental unit is clean, sanitary, pest-free, and in good repair before it is offered or rented. Compliant operators provide written notice—whether in the lease or a separate document—of the maximum number of occupants permitted in each unit, and they keep all required facilities, utilities, cooking equipment, and refrigeration in safe working order throughout the tenancy. Operators also take care to avoid renting units in buildings where co-located commercial activity produces noxious fumes, gases, or excessive noise, and they do not operate any space classified as a tenement unit or tenement house.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-400, tenants in the District of Columbia have a right to receive written notice of the maximum occupancy allowed in their unit and to occupy a dwelling that is clean, safe, sanitary, and free from pests. If a landlord fails to maintain required facilities or utilities, or rents a unit in a building with hazardous commercial conditions, those failures may constitute violations of this provision that tenants can raise with the District's housing inspection authorities. Tenants who believe their rights under § 14-400 have been violated may consider contacting the D.C. Department of Buildings, a local tenant-rights organization, or other available resources to understand the enforcement options that may apply to their situation.
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.
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