14 DCMR § 14-303
SIGNED COPIES OF AGREEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS
Operative Text
303.1 In each lease or rental of a habitation entered into after June 12, 1970, the owner shall provide to the tenant upon execution (or within seven (7) days after execution) an exact, legible, completed copy of any agreement or application which the tenant has signed. 303.2 This section shall not be subject to any notice requirement of this subtitle.
Under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-303, for any lease or rental of a habitation entered into after June 12, 1970, the property owner is required to give the tenant an exact, legible, and fully completed copy of any agreement or application the tenant has signed. This copy must be delivered either at the time of signing or within seven days afterward. Notably, § 14-303 specifies that this obligation is not subject to any notice requirements found elsewhere in the same subtitle.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Compliant operators under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-303 routinely provide tenants with a complete, legible, and fully filled-in copy of every signed lease or rental agreement at the moment of execution or no later than seven days after. Property managers generally maintain records confirming when copies were delivered to demonstrate compliance. Because § 14-303 is explicitly exempt from the subtitle's notice requirements, operators do not rely on any notice-based grace period to satisfy this obligation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-303 gives tenants the right to receive an exact, legible, and completed copy of any agreement or application they have signed, either at signing or within seven days of execution. If a landlord fails to provide this copy within that window, a tenant may have grounds to raise the violation in a housing proceeding or file a complaint with the District of Columbia's housing authorities. Tenant-rights organizations in the District can help explain how § 14-303 applies and what general enforcement paths may be available.
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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