PlainPermit

Do I need a permit for an ADU or garage conversion in Washington, DC?

Short answer: We could not confirm from an official source whether an ADU or garage conversion needs a permit in Washington, DC; check with District of Columbia Department of Buildings (DOB) before you start.

Last verified: · Confidence: low · Status: Unverified, confirm locally

Not legal advice. Always confirm with your local building department. Rules change, and your parcel's zoning, HOA, historic district, floodplain or utility work can change the answer. We show the official source and the date we last checked it so you can verify for yourself.
Unverified, confirm locally Confidence: low

Unverified: We did not find an official DC page on ADU or garage conversion permits that we could quote.

Note: Unverified, confirm locally.

Cost

Fee not extracted; see DC DOB fees. Unverified, confirm locally

Fee source: https://dob.dc.gov/page/get-permit

Where to apply

DC Department of Buildings (DOB) online permits

Permitting authority: District of Columbia Department of Buildings (DOB). Covers the District of Columbia. Historic districts remove most exemptions. Work in public space (including many front yards and alleys) needs a separate DDOT public space permit. See also: how to apply for a building permit.

Official sources

Verified: · Status: unverified · Confidence: low

See something wrong or out of date? Report a correction (anonymous, no email needed).

Other projects in Washington

ADU or garage conversion permits in other cities

Compare adu or garage conversion permit rules in all 25 cities · All District of Columbia cities