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District of Columbia landlord entry laws

How much notice your landlord owes you before coming in, when they may enter without it, and what District of Columbia law lets you do about it.

Notice required

48 hours, in writing

Reasonable notice means written notice at least 48 hours before the housing provider wishes to enter, and entry must be for a reasonable purpose, at a reasonable time, after reasonable notice.

D.C. Code § 42-3505.51

When they may enter

Between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and not on a Sunday or federal holiday.

When they may enter without notice

Excepted in an emergency for the protection or preservation of the premises, or for the protection and safety of tenants or other persons.

What you can do about a violation

On a showing that the housing provider entered in violation of the section, or has repeatedly made unreasonable demands for entry, a court may enjoin that behaviour and assess appropriate damages for breach of the tenant's right to quiet enjoyment.

Worth knowing: Damages are discretionary — no fixed minimum, no automatic fees.

D.C. Code § 42-3505.51(b)(2)

What to do right now

The District has the narrowest entry window in the country: weekdays only, 9 to 5, never a Sunday or federal holiday. Check the clock and the calendar, not just the notice.

Put it in writing

We'll write a letter citing D.C. Code § 42-3505.51, listing each entry with its date and time, and stating what the statute provides. Free to generate and download.

Write my District of Columbia entry letter

Other District of Columbia tenant rights

Landlords who get one of these wrong often get another wrong too.

District of Columbia security deposit lawHow long your landlord has to return it, and what they owe if they don't.District of Columbia rent late fee lawsWhat a landlord may charge for late rent, and when they may charge it.

How this page was checked

  • Read from the source. Every deadline, cap and penalty here was taken from District of Columbia's published text — the statute, session law or administrative code itself.
  • No legal-information websites. Commercial summaries were used only to find a provision, never as authority for it. An automated check fails our build if any state we serve cites a secondary source.
  • Locked against drift. The verified figures are pinned by regression tests, so a later edit cannot quietly change a deadline or a penalty.
  • Last verified August 21, 2026. Laws change — confirm the current text before relying on it.

General information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm.

Compare all 51 jurisdictions — notice periods range from 12 hours to 72, and thirteen states have no rule at all.