District of Columbia · Late fees

District of Columbia late fee law

District of Columbia landlords must wait 5 days after rent is due before charging a late fee, and the fee can’t be more than 5% of the rent due.

Grace period: No late fee until rent is more than 5 days late (or any longer grace period in the lease), and only if the written lease states the maximum fee.
Limits on the fee: Charged only once per late payment; no interest on late fees, and a tenant cannot be evicted for unpaid late fees.

Last reviewed September 30, 2026

Not legal advice. Statutes change; check the linked section.

More for District of Columbia

The other five rules