LOCAL RULES

District of Columbia rental inspection report requirements

Your District of Columbia rental inspection report has 3 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • Asking the tenant for a forwarding mailing or e-mail address
  • The 45-day written notice of amounts claimed
  • Photographs or other documentation with the notice of amounts claimed
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Since August 2026, District law asks for proof with every deposit claim: within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the housing provider sends the tenant written notice of any amounts claimed with photographs or other documentation behind them. A move-out report with photos, set against the move-in report, is that documentation. Here is each rule with a link to the D.C. Code and the Tenant Bill of Rights.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Rental inspectionDISTRICT OF COLUMBIA / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 87 words

Move-in inspection
Address: 22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Washington, DC
Date: 2026-09-30
Landlord: Pinecrest Property Management
Tenant: Jordan Lee and Priya Raman
...
FREE PREVIEW OF THESE NOTES
79%of your draft is ready from these notes

We sorted 13 items into 6 sections and flagged 5 to fix soon.

  • Fix soonLiving and dining areas

    Carpet has a stain near the sofa wall.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Dishwasher not working.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Counter chipped near the sink.

3 District of Columbia rules on your checklist, including asking the tenant for a forwarding mailing or e-mail address.

Still to add

  • RecommendedNotes for entry and hallways
  • RecommendedNotes for laundry and utility

Filled in for you

Inspection typeMove-in
Rental unit address22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Washington, DC
Inspection dateSep 30, 2026
Landlord or property managerPinecrest Property Management
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What District of Columbia requires

The 45-day notice of amounts claimed

When the tenancy ends, the housing provider asks the tenant for a forwarding mailing address or e-mail address. Within 45 days, it notifies the tenant in writing, in person, by e-mail or by certified mail, of any amounts claimed: unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, or the cost of removing furnishings and items the tenant left behind.

The notice must include photographs or other documentation supporting the claim, a statement of the tenant's right to dispute it, and the housing provider's contact information. These requirements were added to the D.C. Code by D.C. Law 26-156, effective August 14, 2026.

Disputes and the balance

The tenant has 30 calendar days after the notice is served to dispute it, with any evidence that an amount is wrong or wrongly attributed, and the housing provider answers in writing within 10 days. According to the Tenant Bill of Rights, the balance of the deposit is returned within 30 days following the initial notice.

Before sending an unpaid amount to a debt collector, the housing provider keeps proof that the tenant was served for at least 60 days.

Ordinary wear and tear

No part of the deposit may be kept for items damaged by ordinary wear and tear. The Code defines it broadly: deterioration from the intended use of the unit, including breakage or malfunction due to age or deteriorated condition. Deterioration from negligence, carelessness, an accident or abuse by the tenant, their family or guests is not wear and tear.

A lease promise to leave the unit in good repair does not oblige the tenant to make substantial repairs, replace obsolete materials, or fix defects that are not their fault.

From walkthrough notes to a finished District report

Photograph each room at move-in and again at move-out, and note any damage with what caused it if you know. ReportDraft writes the notes up room by room with the photos placed under their rooms, describes each damaged item so it can be listed on the notice, keeps age-related wear apart from damage, and leaves lines for the housing provider and the tenant to sign.

Kept together, the two reports give the notice the documentation the law now asks for.

Common mistakes

  • Sending a notice of amounts claimed with no photographs or other documentation.
  • Missing the 45 days after the tenancy ends.
  • Leaving out the statement of the tenant's right to dispute, or the contact information.
  • Charging for breakage or malfunction due to age, which the Code counts as ordinary wear and tear.
  • Not asking the departing tenant for a forwarding mailing or e-mail address.

Sources

Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Next review due January 10, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.