- Home
- Lease agreement
- Washington, D.C.
- Month-to-month
Washington, D.C. month-to-month lease agreement
Written for Washington, D.C. law, checked October 1, 2026 General information, not legal advice
A month-to-month tenancy renews each month until the landlord or the tenant gives notice. Choose month-to-month as the lease type, or set a fixed-term lease to convert to month-to-month when its term ends.
Washington, D.C. rules that apply
- Ending month-to-month
- Tenant only
- a landlord needs a ground the law lists; the tenant gives 30 days, ending on the first of a month
- D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a)(1)D.C. Code § 42-3202(b)
- Rent increase notice
- 60 days
- the increase starts on the first rent day more than 60 calendar days after notice
- D.C. Code § 42-3509.04(b)
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
A landlord cannot end a residential tenancy, month-to-month or after a lease expires, just by giving notice. As long as the tenant pays the rent you are entitled to, you may recover the unit only for one of the reasons the eviction statute lists, after the notice it requires. The tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy with 30 days' written notice that expires on the first day of a month.
D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a)(1) D.C. Code § 42-3202(b) D.C. Code § 42-3505.54(a)
More detail (3)
- The tenant's notice expires on the first day of the first month at least 30 days after the date of the notice. D.C. Code § 42-3505.54(a) D.C. Code § 42-3202(b)
- Grounds other than the tenant's fault each carry their own notice to vacate, for example 90 days when an owner who is a natural person (not a company) in good faith wants to live in the unit, 120 days for approved renovations, and 180 days to stop using the unit as housing, and some come with relocation help and limits on re-renting. D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(d), (f), (i) See Eviction process on the Washington, D.C. page
- A clause requiring more than 30 days' notice from the tenant when an initial lease term ends is void unless the lease says it expires with the initial term and that the tenant may then leave on 30 days' notice while month-to-month. D.C. Code § 42-3505.53
The Rentari D.C. lease says in bold that the lease expiring does not end the tenancy, and that only the tenant may end it by a 30-day written notice that expires on the first of a month.
Rent increase notice
A rent increase does not take effect until the first day rent is normally due that falls more than 60 calendar days after you give the tenant notice of it.
More detail (3)
- If your lease requires the tenant to give more than 30 days' notice before moving out, it must also require you to give notice of a rent increase at least 30 days longer than that period. D.C. Code § 42-3505.54(b)
- For a rent stabilized unit, rent may be increased only once every 12 months, the notice must state the current and new rent and include a summary of tenant rights, and a copy of the notice is filed with the Rent Administrator within 30 days after the increase takes effect. An increase above base rent is also invalid unless the unit and common areas substantially comply with the housing regulations, the building is registered, you and any manager are licensed or registered as required, the notice complies with the notice statute, a nonresident owner has a registered agent, and you have given the tenant written notice of the maximum increase for elderly tenants and tenants with disabilities and how to claim that status. D.C. Code § 42-3502.08(f), (g) D.C. Code § 42-3502.05(g)(1)(A) D.C. Code § 42-3502.08(a)(1) See Rent control on the Washington, D.C. page
- Serve notices by hand, by leaving them at the tenant's home with a person of suitable age, or by mail. D.C. Code § 42-3509.04(a)