District of Columbia rental license pricing

Simple, transparent pricing with one-time flat fees—no surprises, no recurring charges.

$75

First rental at a property

$25

Each additional rental at the same address

This covers our work to coordinate the inspection, organize documents, complete the online application, and respond to city questions until your license is issued.

Understanding total costs

There are three main cost categories for your District of Columbia rental license: our service fee, city license fees, and inspector fees.

City license fees

City fees are set by the City of District of Columbia and may change over time. They are paid directly to the city, not to us. The amount can depend on factors like property type and the number of rentals at the address.

When you share basic property details, we can estimate what the city is likely to charge so you have a combined view of all expected costs.

Inspection fees

Inspection fees are charged by the inspector you choose (or the inspector we help you connect with). Pricing varies by:

Single-family home vs. larger multifamily
How many rentals are inspected during the same visit
Travel or scheduling needs

Many owners find that grouping multiple rentals at the same address into a single visit helps keep inspection costs reasonable.

Example: House with ADU

For a simple example, imagine a house with an ADU in District of Columbia:

Two rentals at the same address (house + ADU)
Our fee: $75 (first rental) + $25 (second rental) = $100
Plus city license fees and inspection fees, paid directly to the city and inspector

Once we know your property details, we can give you a clearer combined estimate before you decide whether to proceed.

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DC City Fee Breakdown

DC charges two fees per rental unit that are paid directly to the District:

RAD Registration Fee

$43 per unit

One-time fee per two-year license period. This registers your rental accommodation with DHCD's Rental Accommodations Division (RAD) / Rent Registry.

Annual Rental Unit Fee

$30 per unit per year

Annual fee that applies to many registered accommodations not exempt from rent control under specific DC Code provisions.

First year total: $73 per unit ($43 RAD registration + $30 annual rental unit fee)

Subsequent years: $30 per unit per year (RAD registration fee is only paid once per two-year period)

Note: The annual rental unit fee may not apply if your property qualifies for certain rent control exemptions. We help determine if exemptions apply to your property.