14 DCMR § 14-707
PEELING WALL COVERING OR PAINT
Operative Text
707.1 Loose or peeling wall covering or paint on interior surfaces shall be removed, and the surface so exposed shall be repainted or repapered by the owner, except as provided otherwise in § 707.2. 707.2 If a room or ceiling is completely replastered and white-coated, that room or ceiling need not be painted or papered. 707.3 The presence of loose or peeling paint in residential premises in violation of this chapter and constructed before 1978, and which constitutes a lead-based paint hazard as defined in section 2(22) of the Lead Hazard Prevention and Elimination Act of 2008, effective March 31, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-381; D.C. Official Code § 8-231.01(22)(“Lead Hazard Prevention and Elimination Act”), shall be enforced by the Mayor according to the provisions of the Lead Hazard Prevention and Elimination Act. 707.4 REPEALED 707.5 REPEALED 707.6 REPEALED 707.7 REPEALED 707.8 REPEALED 707.9 REPEALED 707.10 REPEALED 707.11 REPEALED 707.12 REPEALED 707.13 REPEALED 707.14 REPEALED 707.15 REPEALED 707.16 REPEALED 707.17 REPEALED 707.18 No entry or inspection of any residential premises shall be made without the permission of the occupant of the premises unless a warrant is obtained first from the Superior Court of the District of Columbia pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 11-941 (2001), authorizing the entry and inspection for the purpose of determining compliance with provisions of this section. 707.19 Any entry and inspection shall be made with the least possible disruption to the occupants.
Under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-707, property owners are required to remove loose or peeling wall coverings or paint from interior surfaces and then repaint or repaper those surfaces, with an exception when a room or ceiling is completely replastered and white-coated. In buildings constructed before 1978, peeling paint that constitutes a lead-based paint hazard triggers additional enforcement under the Lead Hazard Prevention and Elimination Act, administered by the Mayor. Inspections to check compliance may only occur with the occupant's permission or a warrant from the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and any such inspection must be conducted with minimal disruption to occupants.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Compliant property owners and managers operating under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-707 routinely inspect interior surfaces for loose or peeling paint or wall coverings and promptly remove and replace them by repainting or repapereing. For pre-1978 buildings, operators generally take additional steps to assess whether peeling paint constitutes a lead-based paint hazard, since such conditions are subject to separate enforcement under the Lead Hazard Prevention and Elimination Act. Operators also typically obtain occupant permission before entering for inspections, or secure a Superior Court warrant when permission is not granted, and conduct any inspection with minimal disruption.
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 et seq. § 14-707 establishes that tenants have a right to interior surfaces free of loose or peeling paint or wall coverings, with the owner responsible for remediation. In pre-1978 buildings, tenants who observe peeling paint may have additional protections under the Lead Hazard Prevention and Elimination Act, and complaints related to lead-based paint hazards can be directed to the Mayor's enforcement office. Tenants also have the right to refuse entry for inspections unless the inspector has obtained a warrant from the Superior Court, and any inspection that does occur must be carried out with the least possible disruption; tenant-rights organizations in the District can provide general information about available complaint and enforcement paths.
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