State guides / District of Columbia

District of Columbia property data

District of Columbia is a little different. The District of Columbia is a single jurisdiction with no separate counties or cities; one District government keeps all property records. Here's what's public, what's hard to get, and what Deedplat puts on one map.

1District
PublicSale prices

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What you can get in District of Columbia

District of Columbia makes most property records public, including what each property sold for. The catch is that every office keeps them differently.

Public everywhere

Every office has these, and Deedplat loads them all.

Owners and mailing addressesFrom the office of Tax and Revenue, Real Property Assessment Division
Sale pricesSale prices are public. The Office of Tax and Revenue publishes sale history for every property on the tax roll, and deed images are searchable online through the Recorder of Deeds.
Deeds and mortgagesRecorder of Deeds, part of the DC Office of Tax and Revenue
Assessed valuesEvery property is assessed each year.
Tax lien salesRun by the District
Foreclosure filings and salesNotices of sale are recorded or posted
Lot linesParcel maps

Depends on the town

Permits, code violations, vacant building lists and rental licenses are all kept by District agencies, and the DC Freedom of Information Act covers them.

Code violations and condemnations
Building permits
Rental registration and inspections
Zoning maps and ordinances
Water and sewer liens

Not public

What no office will hand over, so you know where the line is.

Owner phone numbers and emails
Rents and leases
Active listingsThose live in the MLS
Mortgage balancesThe original loan amount is recorded; what's left is not

How property changes hands here

Distressed property reaches the market through a few channels.

Tax lien certificates

The Office of Tax and Revenue holds a yearly tax lien sale, and liens that do not sell can later be bought over the counter. The buyer gets a lien, not the property. If the owner does not pay within six months of the sale, the buyer can sue in court to foreclose the right to redeem and take title. Extra costs are added if the owner has not paid within four months.

Foreclosure mostly skips the courts

Most DC foreclosures are non-judicial trustee sales, though some lenders go to court instead. Borrowers in a trustee sale must be offered mediation, and they can reinstate up to five business days before the sale, no more than once every two years. There is no right to redeem after the sale.

Transfer tax

DC charges both a deed recordation tax and a deed transfer tax. For homes, each is 1.1% of the price under $400,000 and 1.45% of the whole price at $400,000 or more. Transfers of a controlling interest in an entity that owns DC property are taxed at 2.9%.

Worth knowing

The District acts as both city and county, so recording, assessment, tax collection and code enforcement all sit with one government.

Worth knowing

Tax lien buyers must go to court to foreclose, and they must post notice on the property at least 45 days before filing.

Every parcel in District of Columbia

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District of Columbia

Questions

Are property sale prices public in the District of Columbia?

Yes. DC sale prices are public, and the Office of Tax and Revenue publishes sale history for every property.

How do tax sales work in the District of Columbia?

The District holds a yearly tax lien sale and sells leftover liens over the counter. If the owner does not pay within six months, the lien buyer can sue to foreclose the owner's right to redeem.

Where are deeds and mortgages recorded in the District of Columbia?

With the DC Recorder of Deeds, part of the Office of Tax and Revenue. Document images are searchable online.

How often are the District of Columbia properties reassessed?

Every year. The Office of Tax and Revenue assesses every property annually.

Is foreclosure judicial in the District of Columbia?

Usually not. Most DC foreclosures are non-judicial trustee sales, with mediation offered first and no redemption after the sale.

Can I get records Deedplat doesn't have?

Yes. The District of Columbia Freedom of Information Act lets anyone request records from District agencies, such as permits and code violations. We file those requests for you, clean up the results and add them to your map.

Sources for this guide

Laws and fees change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.

Every parcel, on one map

Deedplat is in beta. Pick any District of Columbia county to get started.

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