How long does an eviction take in District of Columbia?
For unpaid rent, expect about 16.5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout in District of Columbia, and anywhere from 12.5 to 26.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
District of Columbia eviction timeline, step by step
- Notice to pay or leave 30 daysofficial source
30-day written notice of intent to file; can't file unless at least $600 is owed (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01) source - File the case and get a judgment about 35-90 days (typical 50)official source
Initial hearing is scheduled at least 35 days after filing source - Judgment to lockout 23-45 daysofficial source
Wait 48 hours after judgment to file the writ; tenant must get at least 21 days' notice of the eviction date source - If the tenant appeals 30-day windowofficial source
30 days to appeal to the D.C. Court of Appeals; a stay requires a motion and may require a bond source
Timeline model: notice + filing-to-judgment window + judgment-to-lockout window; the high case adds 21 days for a contested hearing. Methodology.
Can the tenant pay and stay?
Can pay in full during the notice period. official source source
Eviction costs in District of Columbia
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $15 | Statewide: Landlord and Tenant complaint filing fee $15 official source source |
| Serving the tenant | $30-$77 | Not verified for District of Columbia; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Sheriff/marshal lockout | $213 | Statewide: Writ of restitution fee $213 official source source |
| Lawyer, uncontested | $500-$1,500 | National rough estimate, not state-specific estimate |
| Lawyer, contested | $2,000-$5,000+ | National rough estimate estimate |
| Median gross rent | $1,931/mo | Census ACS 2024 1-year (±$43) data file |
Tenant protections
| Statewide rent control | Yes | Rent stabilization secondary source source |
| Statewide just-cause rules | Yes | Evictions only for listed reasons (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01) official source source |
| Right to counsel for tenants | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Seasonal or weather limits | Yes | No evictions in rain, below 32°F, or above 95°F forecasts official source source |
| Required mediation / pre-filing program | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
Eviction cost calculator for District of Columbia
| What | Typical | Low to high |
|---|
Full timeline and sources · Total = rent × (months behind + months to evict + months to re-rent) + court fees + lawyer + turnover. How we calculate.
Tenant screening
Reserved for a tenant-screening partner (credit, eviction and background checks). No partner yet; nothing here is a recommendation.
Rent-guarantee insurance
Reserved for a rent-guarantee or landlord insurance partner that covers unpaid rent and eviction costs. No partner yet.
Landlord-friendliness score: 23/100
Timeline 0/50 · right to cure 14/20 · statewide protections 9/30. How the score works.
District of Columbia eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in District of Columbia?
A nonpayment eviction in District of Columbia typically takes about 16.5 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 12.5 to 26.5 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an EvictionMath estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked 2026-10-17.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in District of Columbia?
30-day written notice of intent to file; can't file unless at least $600 is owed (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in District of Columbia by paying the rent?
Can pay in full during the notice period.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in District of Columbia?
The court filing fee is $15 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
Is District of Columbia landlord-friendly for evictions?
District of Columbia scores 23 out of 100 on the EvictionMath landlord-friendliness score (timeline 0/50, right to cure 14/20, statewide tenant protections 9/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
| Field | Source type | Link | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice period | official source | code.dccouncil.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Court deadlines | official source | www.dccourts.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Judgment to lockout | official source | code.dccouncil.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Appeal | official source | www.dccourts.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Filing fee | official source | www.dccourts.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Service fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Lockout fee | official source | www.dccourts.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Rent control | secondary source | naahq.org | 2026-10-17 |
| Just cause | official source | code.dccouncil.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Seasonal | official source | code.dccouncil.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Median rent | official source | census.gov (ACS B25064) | 2026-10-17 |
Not yet verified for District of Columbia: service fee. Fields we couldn't source are left blank, never guessed. Found an error? Laws change; tell us via the newsletter reply.
Compare similar states
New York (43, 11.5 wk) · Washington (43, 6 wk) · California (49, 8.5 wk) · New Jersey (49, 7 wk) · Vermont (56, 11 wk)