District of Columbia Code
Subchapter II - Authority and Procedure to Establish Real Property Tax Rates
§ 47–820. Assessments — Estimated assessment roll; frequency of assessments

(a)(1) The assessed value of all real property as of the valuation date shall be listed annually on the estimated assessment roll for real property taxation purposes.
(2) Repealed.
(3) The assessed value for all real property shall be the estimated market value of such property as of the valuation date, as determined by the Mayor. In determining the estimated market value for various kinds of real property, the Mayor may do so manually or through the use of an automated system or systems such as the Computer-Assisted Mass Appraisal System. The Mayor shall take into account any factor that may have a bearing on the market value of the real property, including, but not limited to, sales information on similar types of real property, mortgage, or other financial considerations, reproduction cost less accrued depreciation because of age, condition, and other factors, income-earning potential (if any), zoning, and government-imposed restrictions. Assessments shall be based upon the sources of information available to the Mayor, which may include actual view.
(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (3) of this subsection, in the case of a property receiving the homestead deduction under § 47-850 or § 47-850.01 for which the most recent assessment has been changed as a result of an appeal to the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission for the District of Columbia in accordance with § 47-825.01a, the reasons for the revised assessment determined by the Board shall be considered the basis for the subsequent valuation by the Mayor, who shall take into account the written decision of the Board and its reasoning in making the assessment, so long as the revised assessment is rendered by the Board on or before January 1.
(5) [Repealed].
(a-1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the real property tax year 1998 assessed value of all real property, subject to appeal pursuant to § 47-825.01 [repealed], shall be the real property tax year 1997 assessed value; provided, that for the purposes of appeal, the valuation date for real property tax year 1998 real property assessments shall be January 1, 1997. For purposes of determining the real property tax year 1998 assessment, the 1997 assessment with the latest date shall be the final 1997 assessment by the Mayor unless the assessment was otherwise revised by the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission for the District of Columbia or the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In the case of a revision, the 1997 assessment shall be the assessment as determined by the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission for the District of Columbia or the Superior Court.
(a-2) Subsection (a-1) of this section shall not affect the authority of the Mayor pursuant to § 47-829, to conduct a supplemental assessment of any property located in the District and shall not affect the right of a real property owner pursuant to § 47-830, to appeal from the supplemental assessment to the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission for the District of Columbia.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (b-1) and (b-2) of this section, all real property shall be assessed no less frequently than once every 2 years, and as soon as practicable such assessment shall be made annually. The Council may authorize and direct assessments to be made annually for some or all classes of real property, except that for fiscal year 1978, and for each fiscal year thereafter, all real property shall be assessed on an annual basis.
(b-1)(1) Beginning with tax year 1999 and for each tax year thereafter, all real property shall be assessed at least once every 3 years and the resulting assessment shall be in effect for the next 3 consecutive tax years unless the assessment is otherwise revised as a result of any of the following:
(A) An appeal filed pursuant to § 47-825.01 [repealed];
(B) An administrative correction made in accordance with § 47-825.01 [repealed];
(C) A supplemental assessment conducted pursuant to § 47-829;
(D) A substantive change in the use of the real property;
(E) A change in the zoning for the area in which the real property is located;
(F) A change in the classification of the real property, unless the change in classification is in furtherance of § 47-813(c-4) due to the mergence of former classes into a single class by operation of law;
(G) A substantial change occurs to the physical make up of the real property; or
(H) A substantial error occurs in the assessment of the real property.
(2) When real property is assessed under this section, an increase in the overall assessed value shall be phased in over the 3-year period of a 3-year cycle or the remaining portion of the cycle; provided, that under § 47-829, an increase in the improvement value under a supplemental assessment shall not be phased in.
(b-2) Notwithstanding subsection (b-1) of this section, for real property tax year 2002 and for each tax year thereafter, all real property which has completed its first 3-year cycle shall thereafter be revalued annually to determine its assessed value as of the valuation date. The assessed value of the real property revalued under this subsection shall not be phased in and the tax rate shall be applied to the assessed value for purposes of the tax year’s levy.
(c) Repealed.
(d) Repealed.
(e) Repealed.
(f) Repealed.
(Sept. 3, 1974, 88 Stat. 1053, Pub. L. 93-407, title IV, § 421; Jan, 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2176, Pub. L. 93-635, § 6(c), (d); June 14, 1994, D.C. Law 10-127, § 5(c), 41 DCR 2050; Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-223, § 2(b), 44 DCR 111; Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-254, § 2, 44 DCR 1575; Oct. 23, 1997, D.C. Law 12-40, § 101(c), 44 DCR 4859; June 9, 2001, D.C. Law 13-305,§ 502(k)-(n), 48 DCR 334; Oct. 3, 2001, D.C. Law 14-28, § 2002(d), 48 DCR 6981; Oct. 19, 2002, D.C. Law 14-213, § 33(e), 49 DCR 8140; Apr. 5, 2005, D.C. Law 15-272, § 2, 52 DCR 823; Feb. 27, 2008, D.C. Law 17-112, § 2, 55 DCR 1864; Apr. 8, 2011, D.C. Law 18-363, § 3(g)(3), 58 DCR 963; July 13, 2012, D.C. Law 19-155, § 3(b), 59 DCR 5590; Dec. 13, 2017, D.C. Law 22-33, § 7044, 64 DCR 7652.)
1981 Ed., § 47-820.
1973 Ed., § 47-641.
This section is referenced in § 47-821, § 47-824, § 47-825.01a, § 47-829, and § 47-1005.01.
D.C. Law 13-305, in the section heading, inserted “Estimated” and deleted “; regulations and orders” from the end; rewrote subsec. (b-1)(2); in subsec. (c), substituted “Mayor” for “Council”; and rewrote subsec. (d).
Prior to amendment, subsecs. (b-1)(2) and (d) read:
“(2) When real property is assessed pursuant to this section, any increase in the overall assessed value shall be phased-in over the 3-year period of a 3-year cycle.”
“(d) The Council may adopt regulations regarding information to be furnished the Mayor by owners of real property. Such regulations shall provide, under penalty of law, that all such information with respect to income derived from investment on income-producing real property shall be handled in the same confidential manner as income tax returns and supporting data required to be submitted to the government of the District of Columbia under laws applicable in the District.”
D.C. Law 14-28 rewrote subsec. (a)(1), repealed subsec. (a)(2), and in subsec. (a)(3), substituted “the valuation date” for “January 1st of the year preceding the tax year”; in subsec. (b), substituted “subsections (b-1) and (b-2)” for “subsection (b-1)”; in subsec. (b-1)(1)(D), (E), (G), and (H), substituted “real property” for “property”, in subsec. (b-1)(1)(F), inserted “, unless the change in classification is in furtherance of § 47-813(c-4) due to the mergence of former classes into a single class by operation of law” preceding “real property”; added subsec. (b-2); and repealed subsecs. (c), (d), (e), and (f).
D.C. Law 14-213, in subsec. (b-1)(2), validated a previously made technical correction.
D.C. Law 15-272 added par. (4) of subsec. (a).
D.C. Law 17-112 added subsec. (a)(5).
D.C. Law 18-363, in subsecs. (a)(4), (a-1), and (a-2), substituted “Real Property Tax Appeals Commission for the District of Columbia” for “Board of Real Property Assessments and Appeals”.
D.C. Law 19-155, in subsec. (b-1), substituted “§ 47-825.01a” for “§ 47-825.01”.
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7044 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-167, Oct. 24, 2017, 64 DCR 10802).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7044 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-104, July 20, 2017, 64 DCR 7032).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(k) to (n) of Real Property Tax Clarity and Litter Control Administration Emergency Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-22, March 16, 2001, 48 DCR 2706).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see §§ 2(d), 3 of Real Property Tax Assessment Transition Emergency Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-44, April 18, 2001, 48 DCR 3844).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see §§ 2(d), 3 of Real Property Tax Assessment Transition Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-116, August 3, 2001, 48 DCR 7659).
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2(k) of Real Property Tax Clarity and Litter Control Administration Temporary Amendment Act of 2001 (D.C. Law 14-8, June 13, 2001, law notification 48 DCR 5916).
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2(d) of Real Property Tax Assessment Transition Temporary Act of 2001 (D.C. Law 14-23, September 6, 2001, law notification 48 DCR 9093).
For temporary (225 day) repeal of section 105 of D.C. Law 12-40, see § 3 of Real Property Tax Assessment Transition Temporary Act of 2001 (D.C. Law 14-23, September 6, 2001, law notification 48 DCR 9093).
Expiration of title I of D.C. Law 12-40: Section 105(b) of D.C. Law 12-40 provided that Title I of that act shall expire 4 years from its effective date. D.C. Law 12-40 became effective on October 23, 1997.
Mayor authorized to issue rules: Section 104 of D.C. Law 12-40 provided that the Mayor may promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of this title.
Audit of triennial assessment process: Section 103 of D.C. Law 12-40 provided that at the end of the first triennial assessment cycle, an audit of the assessment process shall be conducted by an outside firm, under the auspices of the International Association of Assessing Officers, for the purposes of examining the methodology, procedures, and accuracy of real property assessments under the triennial assessment process. The results of the audit shall be provided to the Council of the District of Columbia.
Expiration and review of title I of D.C. Law 12-40: Section 2003 of D.C. Law 14-28 repealed the expiration provision of section 105(b) and the review provision of section 105(a) of D.C. Law 12-40.
Section 3 of D.C. Law 17-112 provided that this act shall apply upon the inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.
The Budget Director of the Council of the District of Columbia has determined, as of February 15, 2012, that the fiscal effect of Law 17-112, has not been included in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore, the provisions of this section, enacted by Law 17-112, are not in effect.
Applicability of D.C. Law 18-363: Section 3a of D.C. Law 18-363, as added by D.C. Law 19-155, § 4, provided: “Sec. 3a. Applicability; transition.
“(a) Sections 2 and 3 shall apply upon Council approval and appointment by the Mayor of a full-time Chairperson and a full-time Vice Chairperson to the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission for the District of Columbia.
“(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the Mayor shall appoint the members of the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission for the District of Columbia with the advice and consent of the Council in accordance with the provisions of section 2(b)(3).

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