Title 6, Housing and Building Restrictions and Regulations.

After October 13, 1964, no building or chancery being used by a foreign government in the District of Columbia shall be transferred to or used by another foreign government unless such use is in accordance with § 6-641.06, as amended, or unless such use was in accordance with app…

Sections 6-651.01 and 6-651.02 shall not be administered in such a way as to discriminate against any foreign government on the basis of the race, color, or creed of any of its citizens.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the Mayor of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized and directed, from time to time, to prescribe a schedule of fees to be paid for permits, certificates, and transcripts of records issued by the Inspector of Buildi…

In any case where building permits have been issued and no work has been begun thereunder, the person who has paid the fee for said permit may return said permit for cancellation, and upon the cancellation thereof there shall be refunded to him, in the manner prescribed by law fo…

It shall be the duty of the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building 3 or more stories in height, constructed or used or intended to be used as an apartment house, tenement house, flat, rooming house, lodging house, hotel, hospital, seminary, acade…

It shall be the duty of the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building already erected, or which may hereafter be erected, in which 10 or more persons are employed at the same time in any of the stories above the 2nd story, except 3-story buildings u…

It shall be the duty of the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building used or intended to be used as set forth in § 6-701.01 where fire escapes are required, or any building in which 10 or more persons are employed, as set forth in § 6-701.02, where…

(a) The owner of a high-rise building shall: (1) Prepare and maintain a fire safety and evacuation plan for the building; and (2) Conduct fire drills at least once every 12 months. (b) A violation of this section shall be subject to civil penalties as established by the Mayor pur…

The Mayor of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized and directed to issue such orders and the Council of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized and directed to adopt, and the Mayor to enforce, such regulations not inconsistent with law as may be necessary to accompl…

(a) Each elevator shaft and stairway extending to the basement of the buildings heretofore mentioned shall terminate in a fireproof compartment or enclosure separating the elevator shaft and stairs from other parts of the basement, and no opening shall be made or maintained in su…

It shall be unlawful to obstruct any hall, passageway, corridor, or stairway in any building enumerated in this part with baggage, trunks, furniture, cans, or with any other thing whatsoever.

No door or window leading to any fire escape shall be covered or obstructed by any fixed grating or barrier, and no person shall at any time place any encumbrance or obstacle upon any fire escape or upon any platform, ladder, or stairway leading to or from any fire escape.

Any person failing or neglecting to provide fire escapes, guide signs, guide lights, exit lights, hall and stairway lights, standpipes, fire extinguishers, alarm gongs, and striking stations, or other appliances required by this part, after notice from the Mayor of the District o…

The notice from the Mayor of the District of Columbia requiring the erection of fire escapes and other appliances enumerated in this part shall specify the character and number of fire escapes or other appliances to be provided, the location of the same, and the time within which…

Such notice shall be deemed to have been served if delivered to the person to be notified, or if left with any adult person at the usual residence or place of business of the person to be notified in the District of Columbia, or if no such residence or place of business can be fo…

The Superior Court of the District of Columbia, in term time or in vacation, may, upon a petition of the District of Columbia, filed by its Mayor, issue an injunction to restrain the use or occupation of any building in the District of Columbia in violation of any of the provisio…

As used in this part: (1) The terms “apartment house,” “tenement house,” and “flat” mean a building in which rooms in suites are provided for occupancy by 3 or more families. (2) The term “rooming house” means a building in which rooms are rented and sleeping quarters provided to…

(a) The Mayor of the District of Columbia is authorized and directed, from time to time, to prescribe a schedule of fees to be paid for inspecting passenger elevators and for inspecting hotels, public halls, moving-picture shows, theaters, and other places of amusement which are …

The Mayor of the District of Columbia may enter into an interstate agreement with the Commonwealth of Virginia or with the State of Maryland, or with both, which shall stipulate that any person: (1) who operates in the District of Columbia and in the state which is a party to the…

The Council of the District of Columbia, for protection against fire, is hereby authorized, after public hearing, to promulgate regulations to require the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building now existing or hereafter erected, other than a priv…

It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy any building 30 days after notice in writing from the Mayor of the District of Columbia or his designated agents that the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building has failed or neglected to comply with …

The notice from the Mayor of the District of Columbia requiring the erection of means of egress and other appliances required by the regulations promulgated under § 6-703.03 shall specify the character and number of means of egress or other appliances to be provided, the location…

Any owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building failing or neglecting to provide means of egress, guide signs, guide lights, exit lights, hall and stairway lights, standpipes, fire extinguishers, alarm gongs and striking stations, or other appliances …

Any notice required by §§ 6-703.03 to 6-703.09 shall be deemed to have been served if delivered to the person to be notified or left with any adult person at the usual residence or place of business of the person to be notified in the District of Columbia, or, if no such residenc…

In case of failure or refusal of the owner entitled to the beneficial use, rental, or control of any building required by the regulations promulgated under §§ 6-703.03 to 6-703.09 to comply with the requirements of the notice provided for in § 6-703.05, the Mayor of the District …

The Superior Court of the District of Columbia, in term time or in vacation, may upon a petition of the District of Columbia filed by its said Mayor, issue an injunction to restrain the use or occupation of any building in the District of Columbia in violation of any of the provi…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law except §§ 6-731.02 and 6-731.03, no person shall, during the period of time after the giving of a notice to vacate any rental unit (as defined by Chapter 35 of Title 42) and before the actual vacation of such unit, cause any alteration t…

Section 6-731.01 shall not apply to any person performing any alteration upon any housing accommodation if the tenants of unvacated rental units, which are the subject of notices to vacate and which can reasonably be expected to be caused by the alteration to come to be in substa…

The Mayor of the District of Columbia, or his designee, may grant an exemption from the provisions of § 6-731.01 in the event he, or his designee, inspects a housing accommodation wherein there are unvacated units subject to a notice to vacate and finds that a proposed alteration…

Any person violating § 6-731.01 shall be imprisoned for not more than 10 days, fined not more than $300, or both.

As used in this subchapter: (1) The term “dwelling unit” means a structure, building, area, room, or combination of rooms occupied by persons for sleeping or living. (2)(A) The term “hospital” means a building or part thereof used for the medical, psychiatric, obstetrical, or sur…

(a) The owner of each new or existing dwelling unit, hotel, motel, hospital, nursing home, and residential-custodial care facility shall install smoke detectors as required by this subchapter. The Mayor shall install smoke detectors in each dwelling unit, hospital, nursing home, …

(a)(1) The owner of each hotel or motel shall have available on the premises at least 1 visual alert system for every 50 units or less. (2) Each hotel or motel shall provide a visual alert system to any guest or patron upon request. In circumstances in which the number of request…

(a) The owner of each dwelling unit shall install at least 1 smoke detector to protect each sleeping area. In an efficiency, the owner shall install the smoke detector in the room used for sleeping. In all other dwelling units, the owner shall install the smoke detector outside t…

(a) An owner subject to this subchapter shall install a smoke detector which is capable of sensing visible or invisible particles of combustion and emitting an audible signal. The owner shall install a smoke detector which is of a type approved by the Mayor of the District of Col…

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the owner of each dwelling unit, hotel, motel, hospital, nursing home, jail, prison, and residential-custodial care facility shall directly wire the smoke detector to the power supply of the building. (b) In each …

(a) The Mayor shall develop a program to test and install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and batteries in District residences, and to educate District residents on the use of the detectors. The program shall be re-developed annually. The program may include: (1) Door-to-door…

(a)(1) No later than December 31st of each year, the Mayor shall provide to the Council an annual report on the smoke and carbon monoxide detector and battery program for the previous fiscal year. (2) The annual report on the smoke and carbon monoxide detector and battery program…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Mayor may accept gifts and grants of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, batteries, and funds to conduct a program to provide detectors and batteries free of charge to residents of the District, and to install or arrange for the in…

An owner subject to this subchapter shall maintain each smoke detector in a reliable operating condition and shall make periodic inspections and tests to ensure that each smoke detector is in proper working condition.

No owner may permanently wire a smoke detector to the electrical system of a structure without first obtaining an electrical permit from the Permit Division of the Department of Licenses, Investigation and Inspections.

Any person who installs a smoke detector shall comply with the requirements of this subchapter and the National Fire Protection Association Standards 72-E and 74 (1974 Edition). In the event of a conflict between this subchapter and the National Fire Protection Association Standa…

(a)(1) An owner of a single-family residence who fails to comply with the provisions of this subchapter shall be assessed a civil penalty of $100 for each violation. (2) An owner of a building containing 2, 3, or 4 dwelling or rooming units who fails to comply with the provisions…

(a) A tenant of a dwelling unit that is not in compliance with this subchapter may purchase, install, and maintain a smoke detector or visual alert system, or arrange for proper installation and maintenance of a smoke detector or visual alert system, and may deduct the reasonable…

(a)(1) An owner of an apartment building shall post in conspicuous places in the common areas of the building and provide to each tenant or unit owner, by hand or first-class mail, a written notice that includes: (A) Instructions on the operation of the apartment building fire al…

(a) If in the District of Columbia any building or part of a building, staging, or other structure, or anything attached to or connected with any building or other structure or excavation, shall, from any cause, be reported unsafe, the Mayor shall examine such structure or excava…