14 DCMR § 14-9999
DEFINITIONS
Operative Text
9999.1 For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the meanings ascribed: “Act” -- the Short-Term Rental Regulation Act of 2018, effective April 25, 2019 (D.C. Law 22-307; D.C. Official Code § 30-201.01 et seq.). “Agent” -- a general agent, employee, registered agent or attorney of the party. “Booking service” -- any person or entity that facilitates short-term rental reservations and collects payment for lodging in a short-term rental. As provided in Section 101 of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 30-201.01), a booking service is a room remarketer within the meaning of D.C. Official Code § 47-2001(o-1). “Department” -- the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs or its successor agency. “Director” -- the Director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, or his or her designee. “Host” -- a natural person who uses a booking service to provide a short-term rental to a transient guest. “Primary residence” -- the property is eligible for the homestead deduction pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-850. For the purposes of short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units, including English basements, are considered part of a host’s primary residence. “Short-term rental” -- paid lodging for transient guests with the host present, unless it is a vacation rental. A short-term rental is not a hotel, inn, motel, boarding house, rooming house, bed and breakfast, or a rental unit within the meaning of Section 103(33) of the Rental Housing Act of 1985, effective July 17, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-10; D.C. Official Code § 42-3501.03(33)) or Section 103(16) of the Rental Housing Conversion and Sale Act of 1980, effective September 10, 1980 (D.C. Law 3-86; D.C. Official Code § 42-3401.03(16)). A short-term rental operates within a portion of the host’s primary residence, unless it is a vacation rental. “Transient guest” -- a person who is paying a host for a short-term rental or a vacation rental. A transient guest under this chapter shall not be deemed to be a tenant as defined under either Section 103(36) of the Rental Housing Act of 1985, effective July 17, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-10; D.C. Official Code § 42-3501.03(36)) or Section 103(17) of the Rental Housing Conversion and Sale Act of 1980, effective September 10, 1980 (D.C. Law 3-86; D.C. Official Code § 42-3401.03(17)). “Vacation rental” -- a short-term rental that operates within a host’s primary residence wherein a transient guest has exclusive use of the host’s primary residence during the transient guest’s stay and the host is not present on the premises. A vacation rental is subject to additional restrictions, including § 9904.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-9999 establishes the foundational vocabulary for the District of Columbia's short-term rental regulatory framework, which flows from the Short-Term Rental Regulation Act of 2018. Key distinctions drawn here include the difference between a standard short-term rental—where the host is present—and a vacation rental, where the guest has exclusive use of the home and the host is absent. The definitions also clarify that a transient guest is not considered a tenant under D.C. rent-control or housing-conversion law, and that short-term rentals are distinct from hotels, boarding houses, and traditional rental units.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in the short-term rental space should familiarize themselves with the defined terms in D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-9999, because these definitions determine which regulatory requirements apply to a given arrangement. For example, whether a listing qualifies as a "short-term rental" or a "vacation rental" depends on host presence and primary-residence status, and vacation rentals carry additional restrictions under § 9904. Compliant operators generally ensure their property meets the "primary residence" eligibility standard—including the homestead deduction requirement—before listing through any booking service.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Guests and tenants should be aware that D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-9999 explicitly excludes transient guests from the tenant protections afforded under the Rental Housing Act of 1985 and the Rental Housing Conversion and Sale Act of 1980. This means that someone paying for a short-term or vacation rental stay generally does not hold the same legal standing as a long-term tenant under D.C. rent-control law. Those who believe their arrangement may actually constitute a traditional tenancy—rather than a short-term rental as defined here—may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or review the relevant D.C. Official Code provisions to understand which protections might apply.
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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