District of Columbia Security Deposit Rules
Landlord obligations under D.C. Code § 42-3505.31; DCMR 14 §§ 308–311
Deposit limit
First full month's rent
the first full month's rent, charged only once (federal-agency and federally-subsidized units follow federal rules instead)
How the deposit limit varies
| Scenario | Maximum deposit | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Default | First full month's rent | charged only once by the owner to the tenant (14 DCMR § 308.2) |
| Federal/DC-agency and federally-subsidized units | Exempt from the § 308 cap | dwelling units leased by federal or District agencies, and units with federally-subsidized rents, are excluded from § 308 entirely (14 DCMR § 308.8) — deposit amounts follow the applicable federal/agency rules instead |
- The Pets in Housing Act pet deposit (≤15% of monthly rent, D.C. Law 25-308) is enacted but marked "Not Funded" on the official D.C. Code as of 2026-07-27 — not operative law; re-check each budget cycle.
- A pre-lease "holding deposit" becomes part of the first month's rent or security deposit on acceptance — it is not an additional charge (D.C. Law 25-65 (2023)).
Source: 14 DCMR § 308.2 (first full month's rent, charged once; see D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(a)), for the figures shown above. This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a District of Columbia attorney for specific guidance.
Deposit limit verified against 14 DCMR § 308.2 (first full month's rent, charged once; see D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(a)) as of Jul 27, 2026.