Ending a month-to-month tenancy in Washington, D.C.: you need a listed reason

What is the basic D.C. rule?

Section 42-3505.01(a)(1) says that, except as the section provides, a tenant may not be evicted from a rental unit notwithstanding the expiration of the lease or rental agreement, as long as the tenant continues to pay the rent the housing provider is entitled to, and that nonpayment of a late fee is not a basis for eviction. No tenant may be evicted for any reason without a written notice that meets the section. Notices for reasons other than nonpayment of rent must be served on both the tenant and the Rent Administrator. For a month-to-month tenant that means a notice 30 days before the end of a month is not enough on its own; the notice must rest on one of the grounds the section lists.

Which grounds and periods did we read?

• Nonpayment of rent: notice of intent to file at least 10 days before filing, not issued if the unpaid rent is under $600, delivered by certified mail or a tracked service and by hand or posting (subsection a-1).
• Another violation of an obligation of the tenancy: the tenant has 30 days after notice to correct it (subsection b).
• An illegal act found by a court: a 30-day notice to vacate, with a 10-day notice and an expedited hearing for certain dangerous crimes or crimes of violence in cases filed after December 31, 2025 (subsection c).
• The housing provider, a natural person with a freehold interest, seeks in good faith to live in the unit: a 90-day notice to vacate (subsection d).
• A good-faith written contract to sell the unit for another person's immediate and personal use: a 90-day notice, with the tenant told of their right and opportunity to purchase (subsection e).
• Alterations or renovations that cannot safely be done while the unit is occupied, subject to filings with the Rent Administrator and the Chief Tenant Advocate (subsection f).

The section continues past what this post covers, so read the whole text and the rest of the chapter for the other grounds and for the tenant protections attached to each. Rules in this area are amended often.

What does the owner move-in ground require?

Under subsection (d), the housing provider serves a 90-day notice to vacate in advance of any action to recover possession. For 12 months after recovering possession, the provider may not demand or receive rent for that unit. Subsection (e-1) adds liability to the former tenant for reasonable relocation costs and additional damages if the provider, or a buyer, demands rent from a new tenant in that 12-month period or fails to personally use the unit, unless circumstances outside the provider's control arose after possession was recovered.

Example a made-up owner who is a natural person with a freehold interest serves a 90-day notice to vacate on Monday, November 2, 2026. Ninety days later is Sunday, January 31, 2027, so the notice cannot require the tenant to leave before then. The owner may not collect rent for the unit during the 12 months after recovering it.

How should a D.C. landlord handle the notice?

Serve every notice the way 42-3505.01(a) requires. If a notice is served by posting, a photograph with a readable timestamp must be submitted to the court, and if the tenant's primary language is a covered language other than English or Spanish, the notice has to be given in that language. A court may dismiss the claim if a notice was not provided as required or the filing came before the notice days had run.

• Treating a month-to-month tenancy as ending on a plain 30-day notice. A listed ground is needed.
• Skipping the Rent Administrator on a notice for a reason other than nonpayment.
• Collecting rent on a unit you took back for personal use during the 12-month bar.

Where does DoorKeeping fit?

DoorKeeping stores the lease, the rent ledger and a copy of every notice you send, so the date you served and the date it ends are on file if a court asks. You still write, serve and track the notice yourself. This is general information, not legal advice: check the current statute, and ask a local attorney if the tenant disputes the notice.

Sources

1. D.C. Code 42-3505.01, Evictions (D.C. Council, D.C. Law Library), read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

Can a D.C. landlord end a month-to-month tenancy with a 30-day notice?

Not on its own. Section 42-3505.01 requires a written notice resting on a listed ground.

How much notice does the D.C. owner move-in ground need?

A 90-day notice to vacate, and no rent may be collected on the unit for 12 months after possession is recovered (42-3505.01(d)).

Who gets a D.C. notice for a reason other than nonpayment?

Both the tenant and the Rent Administrator (42-3505.01(a)(1)).