D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3213
Landlord’s lien for rent — Time of existence.
Operative Text
The landlord shall have a tacit lien for his rent upon such of the tenant’s personal chattels, on the premises, as are subject to execution for debt, to commence with the tenancy and continue for 3 months after the rent is due and until the termination of any action for such rent brought within said 3 months.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3213, District of Columbia law grants landlords an automatic, unrecorded legal claim—known as a tacit lien—against a tenant's personal property located on the rented premises when rent goes unpaid. This lien attaches at the start of the tenancy and remains in effect for three months after the rent becomes due. If the landlord files a legal action to collect the rent within that three-month window, the lien continues until that action is resolved.
Plain English — not legal advice.
D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3213 establishes that a landlord's tacit lien on a tenant's eligible personal property arises automatically—no filing or registration is required to create it. Operators who intend to rely on this lien to secure unpaid rent generally take care to initiate any legal action for that rent within the three-month period after it becomes due, since the lien's duration is tied to that deadline. Compliant operators also typically document which personal property is present on the premises and confirm that it qualifies as property subject to execution for debt under applicable law.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3213 gives your landlord a passive legal interest in certain personal property you keep on the rented premises as security for unpaid rent, but that interest is limited in time and scope. The lien only covers property that could otherwise be seized to satisfy a court judgment for debt, and it expires three months after the rent was due unless the landlord has filed a legal action within that window. Tenants who believe a landlord is improperly asserting or acting on this lien may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with D.C. landlord-tenant law to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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