Free Washington DC Eviction Notice Form

To evict a tenant successfully in Washington DC you must present them with the appropriate eviction notice for the circumstances. This allows you to conform with the laws in Washington DC by providing a legally valid reason for the eviction and the correct amount of notice necessary under DC statutes.

Choosing the right kind of eviction notice is key to removing a tenant quickly. If you don’t follow the legally mandated rules, you may have the eviction overturned or delayed by the local courts.

As seen below, there are a few different options in Washington DC when completing an eviction.

30-Day Notice to Quit (Non-Payment)

If a tenant does not pay within the 5-day legal grace period (§ 42-3501.01) after the rent’s due date, the landlord may present them with a DC30-Day Notice to Quit. This obliges them to pay rent or quit within 1 month. 

If the tenant complies and pays the rent, then the notice will be nullified. If they refuse to pay or vacate the property, the landlord will be able to pursue the matter further through the courts

30-Day Notice to Quit (Non-Compliance)

If a tenant fails to comply with the terms of the lease, aside from not paying rent, landlords may issue them with a30-Day Notice to Quit (§ 42-3505.01 (b)(c)). This gives thema month to correct the issue or leave the property.

Assuming the tenant corrects the violation, the notice will be rendered invalid. A new eviction warning will need to be issued if other breaches of the contract occur. 

However, it’s also possible to issue an unconditional 30-Day Notice that doesn’t give the tenant a chance to correct the violation. This only normally happens when more severe transgressions take place.

30-Day Notice to Quit (Month-to-Month)

Landlords with tenants on flexible monthly rental agreements may end the tenancy without cause, as long as they provide a 30-Day Eviction letter (§ 42-3202). 

If this is used, the tenant must leave the property within 30 days of this notice being delivered.

Be aware, however, if you continue to accept rental payments during this period, the notice will be considered null and void. This also does not include any payments of owed back rent.

You can only evict someone in Washington DC if they’ve committed a legally valid breach of the lease under DC statutes. Not only that, but you must also make sure to provide the correct amount of days’ notice to avoid the eviction from being challenged in court. 

To evict someone in Washington DC means conforming with the following legal requirements:

• Non-payment of rent: 30 days’ notice (§ 42-3505.01)
• Lease violation: 30 days’ notice (§ 42-3505.01 (b)(c))
• Lease termination: 30 days’ notice (§ 42-3202)

The notice must also be served to the tenant in compliance with the property laws in Washington DC. It should be presented to them as a written notice or letter, detailing the information on why and when the lease is ending. 

Evicting a tenant in Washington DC follows a strict legal process. When issuing an eviction notice, you must make sure that you correctly:

• Detail the reason the lease is being terminated.
• Provide sufficient time for the tenant to respond.
• Serve the notice in a legally appropriate manner.

In most cases, that is enough to make a tenant vacate on their own. However, as an eviction is a lawsuit procedure, it may be necessary to take additional steps if the resident refuses to leave. 

To complete an eviction process in Washington DC, you will need to:

1. Serve an eviction notice with the correct notice period and a legal reason to evict.
2. File for eviction in your local DC Superior Court if the tenant doesn’t obey the notice.
3. Attend the court hearing in person to make your case to the judge.
4. Request a Writ of Restitution from the clerk of the court if the judge rules in your favor.
5. Deliver the Writ to local law enforcement, so they may carry out a forced eviction. The tenant will have 3 days to comply with the Writ of Restitution before being removed from the property.

When you prepare your own Washington DC eviction notice, it can be hard to have a clear idea of what the final document will look like. If you need a little extra guidance on how your legal document will appear, simply review our eviction notice sample below.

There are several other legal documents that can be useful for landlords or when managing real estate. If you are currently renting out a property, or plan to do so in the future, use the following documents below to ensure your property is properly looked after: 

• Washington DC Rental Application
• Washington DC Residential Lease Agreement