Section 11(b) of the Construction Codes Approval and Amendments Act of 1986, effective December 13, 2017 (D.C. Law 22-33; D.C. Official Code § 6-1431(b)), requires the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (formerly the Department of Consumer of Regulatory Affairs) to annually publish in the District of Columbia Register an updated schedule of fine amounts for infractions listed in 16 DCMR §§ 3301–3313 as adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-UC) in the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
On December 19, 2026, the 2026 Schedule of Fine Adjustment was published in the D.C. Register, and it pertains to those infractions within DLCP’s jurisdictional purview. Specifically, those infractions as set forth in 16 DCMR §§ 3301-3304 and 3313.
According to BLS, the CPI-UC rose two percent (2%) over a twelve (12)-month period (e.g., from July 2024 to July 2025) in the Washinton Metropolitan Area. The new schedule of fines shall take effect on January 1, 2026.
|
Fine Type |
Previous Fine Amount |
Updated/Current Fine Amount |
|---|---|---|
|
Class 1 |
|
|
|
For the first offense |
$2,499 |
$2,549 |
|
For the second offense |
$4,998 |
$5,098 |
|
For the third offense |
$9,995 |
$10,195 |
|
For the fourth and subsequent offenses |
$19,991 |
$20,390 |
|
Class 2 |
|
|
|
For the first offense |
$1,249 |
$1,274 |
|
For the second offense |
$2,499 |
$2,549 |
|
For the third offense |
$4,998 |
$5,098 |
|
For the fourth and subsequent offenses |
$9,995 |
$10,195 |
|
Class 3 |
|
|
|
For the first offense |
$625 |
$638 |
|
For the second offense |
$1,249 |
$1,274 |
|
For the third offense |
$2,499 | $2,549 |
|
For the fourth and subsequent offenses |
$4,998 | $5,098 |
| Class 4 | ||
|
For the first offense |
$125 | $128 |
|
For the second offense |
$249 | $254 |
|
For the third offense |
$500 | $510 |
|
For the fourth and subsequent offenses |
$1,000 | $1,020 |
| Class 5 | ||
|
For the first offense |
$63 | $64 |
|
For the second offense |
$125 | $128 |
|
For the third offense |
$249 | $254 |
|
For the fourth and subsequent offenses |
$500 | $510 |
| Class 6 | ||
| For the first offense | $12,494 | $12,744 |
| For the second and subsequent offenses | $24,988 | $25,488 |