Washington, DC short-term rental laws (2026)
Washington, DC licenses short-term rentals in your primary residence and nowhere else. An English basement counts too.[1]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified September 14, 2026.
Is Airbnb legal in Washington, DC?
Legal, in your primary residence
Only your primary residence, with a DLCP license. Stays while you are away stop at 90 nights a year.
11 official sources · verified September 14, 2026
Photo: Syed F Hashemi on Unsplash
- PermitRequired · $99.00 license, 2 years
- Primary residenceRequired
- Number on listingRequired
- Night cap90 nights a year when unhosted
Washington DC short-term rental license
In Washington, DC, the short-term rental license goes to one home: your primary residence, the one eligible for the Homestead Tax Deduction. The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection issues it for $99, for two years, to a natural person only, never to an LLC. While you are home, you can host without limit. While you are away, the same home becomes a vacation rental and stops at 90 nights a calendar year, unless DLCP grants an exemption. Penalties start at $500 for a first violation. A third costs $6,000 plus revocation.[1]
Every Washington, DC rule, sorted by what it asks
Filter by topic. Each line carries the number of its official source, listed at the bottom of the page.
You must
- Hold a DLCP short-term rental license for your primary residence[1]
- Use a Vacation Rental license when you are away during stays[1]
- Make sure the owner is eligible for a Certificate of Clean Hands[1]
- Show your license number in each listing[1]
- Renew every two years, or pay late penalties from $75.00[5][2]
- Rent only a property eligible for the homestead deduction[4]
- Condo, co-op or HOA: attest the bylaws allow it or you have written permission[1]
- Post the license inside the property[1]
- Give guests a 24-hour phone number for you or someone acting for you[1]
- Keep all exits unobstructed[1]
- Have working smoke and CO detectors and a portable fire extinguisher[1]
- Carry liability insurance: DLCP asks $250,000, the DC Code says $500,000[1][4]
You must not
- Host through an LLC or corporation[1]
- Hold more than one short-term rental license endorsement[5]
- Rent while away more than 90 nights a calendar year without an exemption[1]
- Rent for more than 30 consecutive nights in one stay[1]
- List on a booking service that does not clearly display your license number[6]
- Rent an investment property or one owned by a corporate entity[1]
- Exceed 8 guests or 2 per bedroom, whichever is greater[1]
Stays of 31 days or more in Washington, DC
- Washington, DC keeps short-term rentals to the home you live in. A stay of 31 consecutive days or more is not a short-term rental under its rules.[1]
- At that length, a guest can gain tenant rights, and lodging tax and insurance work differently.
What a new permit costs
Fee for either license, Short-Term Rental or Vacation Rental
$99two-year license
- License$99
A late renewal adds $75.00 in the first 30 days, another $75.00 to day 180 and $200.00 to day 270.[2]
How to apply in Washington, DC
Official name: Basic Business License with a Short-Term Rental or Short-Term Rental: Vacation Rental endorsement
- 1
Create an Access DC account, which every DLCP system requires.[1]
- 2
Confirm the property is eligible for the Homestead Tax Deduction and that you are eligible for a Certificate of Clean Hands.[1]
- 3
Get proof of liability insurance of at least $250,000, plus the condo or HOA attestation if one applies.[1]
- 4
On boss.dc.gov, select New Business License, apply for a Short-Term Rental or Vacation Rental license and pay $99.00.[1]
- 5
Once licensed, post the license inside the property and add the license number to each listing.[1]
Five jurisdictions, same questions
The Washington, DC column comes from the official sources on this page. The other columns show the headline rule from each WonderGuest page. Open a page for the full detail.
| Question | Washington, DC | Seattle | Chicago | San Francisco | South Lake Tahoe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit | Required$99.00 license, 2 years | Required$75 per unit, renewed yearly | Required$250 registration, 1 year | Required$925 application, 2 years | Required$548 application plus annual fee |
| Primary residence | Required | Varies | Varies | Required | Varies |
| Night cap | 90 nights a year when unhosted | None published | None published | 90 nights a year when unhosted | None published |
| Number on listing | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| Where allowed | Your primary residence only | Your home plus 1 other unit | Outside Restricted Residential Zones | Your primary residence only | Residential zones: 900 cap, waitlist |
| Occupancy tax | 15.95% sales tax, Airbnb collects | Lodging taxes, Airbnb collects | 4.5% city tax plus 6% surcharge | 14% TOT, Airbnb collects | 12% or 14% city TOT |
| Fine without permit | $500 first violation, $6,000 third | $500 first violation, then $1,000 | $2,500 to $10,000 per offense | From $484 per day per unit | VHR fines of $1,500 to $5,000 |
| Seattle short-term rental rules | Chicago short-term rental rules | San Francisco short-term rental rules | South Lake Tahoe short-term rental rules |
Coming up
What's changing
No change with an effective date appears in the official sources on this page as of September 14, 2026.
FAQ
Washington, DC short-term rental questions
Do I need a license to host on Airbnb in Washington, DC?
How do you get a short-term rental license in DC?
How do you renew a short-term rental license in DC?
Can you rent out your whole DC home while you are away?
Can renters host a short-term rental in DC?
Sources
- Operating a short-term rental in the District of Columbia, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, read on September 14, 2026
- Basic Business License renewal overview, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, read on September 14, 2026
- D.C. Code § 30-201.01, definitions, Council of the District of Columbia, read on September 14, 2026
- D.C. Code § 30-201.02, restrictions on short-term rentals, Council of the District of Columbia, read on September 14, 2026
- D.C. Code § 30-201.04, license endorsement issuance, Council of the District of Columbia, read on September 14, 2026
- D.C. Code § 30-201.06, host requirements, Council of the District of Columbia, read on September 14, 2026
- D.C. Code § 30-201.08, booking service requirements, Council of the District of Columbia, read on September 14, 2026
- D.C. Code § 30-201.10, penalties, Council of the District of Columbia, read on September 14, 2026
- Notice of October 1, 2025 tax changes, DC Office of Tax and Revenue, read on September 14, 2026
- Occupancy tax collection and remittance in the District of Columbia, Airbnb Help Center, read on September 14, 2026
- Mayor Bowser announces new short-term rental legislation, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, read on September 14, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on September 14, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb income calculator
Nightly rate, occupancy, Airbnb fee, management, mortgage, taxes and depreciation. You get cash flow, cash-on-cash return and what is left after the IRS.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.