Comprehensive guide to Washington DC tenant screening laws, Fair Chance Act requirements, application fee limits, and legal background check procedures for landlords.
Washington DC caps rental application fees at $50 (the 2022 base), adjusted annually for CPI-U by the Rental Housing Commission — $54 for calendar year 2026. The fee must cover actual screening costs only. Landlords must provide itemized receipts upon request and refund unused portions if no screening is conducted.
No. DC law prohibits using credit scores as the sole basis for tenant denial. Landlords must consider the applicant's complete financial picture, including rental payment history, income verification, and explanations for negative credit items.
DC's Fair Chance in Housing Act prohibits landlords from asking about or considering criminal history until AFTER making a conditional offer of tenancy. Landlords can only consider convictions from the past 7 years (excluding incarceration time) and must conduct individualized assessments.
DC limits eviction history lookback to 3 years. Landlords cannot consider eviction filings that did not result in a judgment against the tenant, cases that were dismissed, or sealed eviction records.
After a conditional offer, landlords may only consider convictions (not arrests) from the past 7 years for specific serious offenses related to tenant safety. Drug possession convictions and most non-violent offenses cannot be considered. A written individualized assessment is required before any withdrawal.
Violations can result in fines up to $5,000 per violation, private lawsuits for actual damages plus attorney fees, and potential punitive damages. The DC Office of Human Rights investigates complaints and can impose additional penalties.
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