District of Columbia Rental Application

Fill out a District of Columbia rental application below and download a print-ready PDF — identity, rental history, employment, references and screening consent. Free, no signup.

Reflects current District of Columbia rules · July 2026Official source linkedFree PDF · no signup · nothing uploaded

Maintained by the SealForms editorial team · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified July 2026 · Not legal advice.

District of Columbia application-fee rule · as of July 2026

Capped: $54 in 2026 (CPI-adjusted $50 base)

D.C. Code §42-3505.10(b) — Covers ALL screening costs; the Rental Housing Commission publishes the annual cap.

Source: D.C. Council Code ↗. Laws change — confirm the current rule before you rely on it.

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Know your District of Columbia rules

Application-fee rules come from state law, not the form: in District of Columbia, capped: $54 in 2026 (cpi-adjusted $50 base) (D.C. Code §42-3505.10(b)). Cities can add their own caps. Check the currentDistrict of Columbia screening rules before charging or paying a fee.

Frequently asked questions

How much can a landlord charge for a rental application in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia caps application fees at $54 in 2026 (CPI-adjusted $50 base) under D.C. Code §42-3505.10(b). Covers ALL screening costs; the Rental Housing Commission publishes the annual cap. Source: D.C. Council Code.

Is the application a lease?

No. The application only collects information for screening. If approved, landlord and tenant then sign a lease — see our District of Columbia lease agreement template, which reflects District of Columbia's deposit and notice rules.

How does District of Columbia compare? See application-fee limits in all 50 states, every rule cited to statute.

How District of Columbia compares

Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of July 2026). Source for District of Columbia: D.C. Council Code ↗.

District of Columbia is one of 8 of 51 jurisdictions that cap the application fee by statute (33 set no statutory limit on application fees; 6 limit the fee to the landlord's actual screening cost; 4 ban application fees outright).

The rest of what District of Columbia requires

The figures below are District of Columbia's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full District of Columbia page for that document.

Security deposit cap· as of 2026: 1 month's rentD.C. Code §42-3502.17; 14 DCMR 308-311 ↗
Deposit return deadline· as of 2026: 45 days after move-outD.C. Code §42-3502.17; 14 DCMR 308-311 ↗
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy· as of 2026: 30 daysD.C. Code §42-3502.17; 14 DCMR 308-311 ↗
Notice for unpaid rent· as of 2026: 10 days to pay or quitD.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a-1) (RENTAL Act, D.C. Law 26-80, eff. 12/31/2025); § 42-3202 ↗
Notice to cure a lease violation· as of 2026: 30 daysD.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a-1) (RENTAL Act, D.C. Law 26-80, eff. 12/31/2025); § 42-3202 ↗
Small claims limit· as of 2026: $10,000D.C. Code §11-1321 ↗
Where you file· as of 2026: Small Claims and Conciliation Branch, Civil Division, Superior Court of the District of Columbia · filing fee $5 (claims up to $500) / $10 ($500.01-$2,500) / $45 ($2,500.01-$10,000), plus service costsD.C. Code §11-1321 ↗
Bill of sale notarization· as of 2026: Not requiredDC DMV / DMV.ORG ↗
Power of attorney signing· as of 2026: Notarization requiredD.C. Code §21-2601.05 (form §21-2603.01) ↗
LLC operating agreement· as of 2026: Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rulesD.C. Code § 29-801.02(10) ↗
Recording a deed· as of 2026: Recorder of Deeds (DC Office of Recorder of Deeds — single district-wide office) · no witnessesD.C. Code § 42-401 ↗

Rental application in other states

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