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Early Lease Termination Laws in the District of Columbia

In the District of Columbia, a tenant who is a victim of an intrafamily offense, or the parent or guardian of a minor victim, can be released from a lease, and the release takes effect no later than 14 days after the housing provider receives notice and documentation.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

District of Columbia at a glance

Domestic violence victims
Yes, release within 14 days of notice
The request must be made within 90 days of the reported act and include a protection order or a qualified third party's statement. Rent is owed only up to the release date.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in the District of Columbia

Can domestic violence or sexual assault victims end a lease early in the District of Columbia?

Yes, release within 14 days of notice. Domestic violence victims in the District of Columbia: yes, release within 14 days of notice. The request must be made within 90 days of the reported act and include a protection order or a qualified third party's statement. Rent is owed only up to the release date.

Where do the the District of Columbia early lease termination laws come from?

The rules above come from D.C. Code 42-3505.07. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Read the lease first. Many leases contain an early termination clause, a buyout fee or a sublease option that may be easier to use than a statutory right. A statutory right usually applies even if the lease says nothing about it, and a lease generally cannot waive it.

Statutory early termination rights usually come with conditions. Common ones are written notice to the landlord, a minimum notice period, and proof such as a protective order, police report, military orders or a doctor's statement. Keep copies of everything you send and note the date and method of delivery.

If you leave without a statutory right, you may still owe rent until the unit is re-rented or the lease ends. Where a landlord has a duty to mitigate, it must make reasonable efforts to find a new tenant, and the amount you owe is reduced by rent the landlord collects or reasonably could have collected. Returning keys and documenting the condition of the unit can help limit disputes.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.