Vacant Buildings

DOB's work plays a key role in the process that can bring vacant buildings back to productive use.  We send notification letters regarding vacant and blighted buildings, respond to complaints to make determinations about building occupancy status, and maintain a complete list of vacant and blighted buildings in the District of Columbia.

To learn more about these efforts and results including abatements, inspections, registered, unregistered, and exempt properties, visit the DOB Public Dashboard. To learn if your property is currently classified as vacant or blighted, please view our Vacant Building Map.

It is important for customers to ensure that any outstanding balances with DOB are satisfied prior to making application for an exemption or appealing your property's status determination. To check this, go to the DOB Public Dashboard. Click on “Enforcement” and then search by address AND name of the applicant and property owner. If you have debt, email [email protected] with the debt information to receive payoff information. If your search result indicates that you do not have debt with DOB, email [email protected] to confirm this.

Report a Vacant Property

A vacant property is one that is not occupied.

Vacant properties may still be taxed as occupied properties if they have applied for and received tax exemptions. A property owner may obtain an exemption if:

• The property is under active construction, with appropriate permits issued and inspections occurring;
• The owner is actively seeking to rent or sell;
• The property is subject to a probate proceeding or the title is subject of litigation; or
• The property is the subject of a pending application for development that requires approval of the Board of Zoning Adjustment, Zoning Commission, Commission on Fine Arts, Historic Preservation Review Board, Mayor’s Agent for Historic Preservation, or National Capital Planning Commission

Report a Blighted Property

A building is blighted if it is unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise determined to threaten the health, safety, or general welfare of the community. In making the determination, DOB considers the following factors:

• Is the building boarded up?
• Are doors, windows, and other openings weather-tight and secured against entry?
• Are exterior walls free of holes, graffiti, and rotting material?
• Are all exposed metal and wood surfaces protected from decay by paint or another weather-coating material?
• Are all balconies, porches, signs, and similar features safe and sound?

Report a Vacant/Blighted Property

Register Your Vacant Property

If your building is vacant, DC Official Code § 42-3131.06 requires that you register it with the Office of Residential Inspections within 30 days of the beginning of each fiscal year and within 30 days of it becoming vacant. Failure to register your building can result in civil and/or criminal penalties of $2,000 in fines per violation and up to 90 days imprisonment.

After you receive a notification letter, you must register your property online within 30 days and pay a $250 registration fee. Failure to do so will result in the property owner receiving a Notice of Infraction.

Pay the registration fee, and then visit the Citizen Access Portal to register a property as vacant or verify the property is occupied. Property owners may also request a vacant property exemption.

Register Your Vacant Property

Verify Your Building is Occupied

If you receive a notice from the Office of Residential Inspections concerning a vacant or blighted property, and it is occupied, or you would like to apply for an exemption:

• Register your building as occupied or apply for a vacant building exemption by completing the Vacant Property Response Form.
• Check the box “My building is occupied” in Step 2, or select the appropriate exemption in Step 3.
• If indicating occupancy, please include a water bill and any other utility bills for the period when the building became occupied.
• Once complete, please email your Vacant Property Response form to [email protected].

If verified, your tax rate will not change for the applicable fiscal year going forward, and you will receive a confirmation letter from the Office of Residential Inspections. If denied, your property will be taxed at the Class 3 rate and you will receive a denial notice with appeal instructions from the Office of Residential Inspections.

To schedule an inspection for the purpose of confirming occupancy of a given property, please select the below button.

Verify Your Building is Occupied

Apply for a Vacant Building Exemption

It is the responsibility of all property owners to register their Class 3 vacant property within the first 30 days of the fiscal year or within 30 days of initial notification that their property is Class 3 vacant. If you receive a notice from the Office of Residential Inspection concerning a Class 3 vacant designation, you may qualify for a vacant building exemption. Class 4 blighted properties are not eligible.

Once you have confirmed that any debt has been satisfied with DOB, please email your Vacant Property Response form to [email protected]. You may also apply for an exemption online through our Citizen Access online portal below.

Request Exemption for Vacant Property

Vacant Building Resources

Vacant Property Response Form
Blight Appeal Checklist
Blighted Building Response Form
Substantial Undue Economic Exemption Checklist Attachment A - Residential Form
Substantial Undue Economic Exemption Checklist Attachment B - Commercial Form
Vacant Building Exemption Denial Form

 

For additional information, check out our frequently asked questions.

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