D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3509.04
Service.
Operative Text
(a) Unless otherwise provided by Rental Housing Commission regulations, any information or document required to be served upon any person shall be served upon that person, or the representative designated by that person or by the law to receive service of the documents. When a party has appeared through a representative of record, service shall be made upon that representative. Service upon a person may be completed by any of the following ways: (1) By handing the document to the person, by leaving it at the person’s place of business with some responsible person in charge, or by leaving it at the person’s usual place of residence with a person of suitable age and discretion; (2) By telegram, when the content of the information or document is given to a telegraph company properly addressed and prepaid; (3) By mail or deposit with the United States Postal Service properly stamped and addressed; or (4) By any other means that is in conformity with an order of the Rental Housing Commission or the Rent Administrator in any proceeding. (b) No rent increases, whether under this chapter, the Rental Accommodations Act of 1975, the Rental Housing Act of 1977, the Rental Housing Act of 1980, or any administrative decisions issued under these acts, shall be effective until the first day on which rent is normally paid occurring more than 60 calendar days after the notice of the increase is given to the tenant; provided, that the requirements of § 42-3505.54(b) are met.
D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3509.04 establishes how documents and notices must be delivered in rental housing proceedings in the District of Columbia. Acceptable methods include personal hand-delivery, leaving documents with a responsible person at a business or residence, telegram, or U.S. mail. Critically, no rent increase—regardless of which D.C. rental housing law authorizes it—takes effect until the first normal rent-payment date that falls more than 60 calendar days after the tenant receives written notice of the increase, provided other statutory requirements are also satisfied.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3509.04, property owners and managers who serve rent-increase notices or other required documents must use one of the approved delivery methods—personal delivery, leaving the document with a suitable person at the residence or business, telegram, or properly addressed and stamped U.S. mail. Compliant operators also account for the mandatory 60-calendar-day advance notice period, ensuring that any rent increase does not take effect before the first normal payment date occurring more than 60 days after the tenant receives notice. Operators generally keep records of how and when service was completed, including any representative designated to receive documents on a party's behalf.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3509.04 gives tenants the right to receive rent-increase notices through specific, recognized delivery methods, and guarantees that no increase becomes effective until the first normal rent-payment date more than 60 calendar days after proper notice is given. If a landlord attempts to collect a higher rent before that 60-day window has passed, or if notice was not delivered through an approved method, a tenant may have grounds to raise this as a violation in a proceeding before the Rental Housing Commission or Rent Administrator. Tenants who believe proper service was not completed or that a rent increase was imposed prematurely may consider contacting a tenant-rights organization or the D.C. Office of the Tenant Advocate for general information about 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.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation