Hello.
With summer fast approaching, we hope that you are enjoying the warm weather and embracing the opportunity to get out and about as restrictions associated with the pandemic are being lifted.
We are currently three quarters into our fiscal year, which started last October and ends this September. Despite COVID-19, it’s been a busy year. Over the last nine months, DCRA has conducted or issued:
- 17,283 housing inspections
- 17,457 construction inspections
- 3,716 illegal-construction inspections
- 3,552 vacant-building inspections
- 11,574 new business licenses
- 1,619 solar permits
- 24,537 building-related permits
- 24,740 rental property licenses
These numbers are in addition to the more than 19,000 emails, 16,000 phone calls, and 1,000 live chats our team responds to each month from across the city.
While these numbers are large, we know that each one represents a project or issue that’s important to one of our fellow residents – we never lose sight of that responsibility. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
Stay safe.
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 Ernest Chrappah, Director
With a few holidays coming our way, we want to encourage everyone to stay safe and to remember that construction is not permitted on District holidays without an active after hours permit. On the following holidays construction work is illegal and could result in a Stop Work Order and fines:
- Monday, May 31, 2021: Memorial Day
- Sunday, July 4, 2021: Independence Day
- Monday, September 6, 2021: Labor Day
For more information, visit our illegal construction webpage. Please report illegal construction to the District’s 311 system. You can report your service request by either calling 311, visiting the 311.dc.gov, using the mobile app (DC311), using the online live chat feature during standard business hours, texting DC311, or tweeting to @311dcgov. As a reminder, DCRA will be closed on these holidays.
In response to improving health metrics across the District, DCRA will reopen on Monday, July 12. As of this writing, customers will enter the building using a numbered system to ensure that only safe numbers of people are admitted and to accommodate social distancing. Face masks will also be required to enter.
For more information on reopening and the District's response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, visit coronavirus.dc.gov/.
 Currently, all DMV residents, 12 years of age and older, are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine (for those between the ages of 12-15, please verify that a facility offers the Pfizer vaccine).
The District transitioned to the use of 14 high-capacity, walk-up, no appointment needed vaccination sites.
- Walk-up sites are for first doses.
- When you receive your first dose, you will still make an appointment to get your second dose.
The walk-up sites will be in addition to the pharmacies, clinics, and health care providers that are also administering the vaccines citywide. These sites will operate their own scheduling systems.
Can't leave your home? 1-855-363-0333 and we'll come to you! For any questions regarding the vaccine program, please email vaccinatedc@dc.gov.
Mayor Muriel Bowser proclaimed the month of May as Building Safety Month in the District of Columbia. Initiated by the International Council Code (ICC), Building Safety Month is an annual international event in the month of May, designed to raise awareness about what it takes to create safe, resilient, affordable and energy-efficient homes and buildings.
Learn more about Building Safety Month on our blog.
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DCRA's Small Business Resource Center is the go to source for information on how to get your business established and up and running. For existing and aspiring businesses, the Small Business Resource Center is here for you and we welcome you to join us for these upcoming workshops and events.
Webinar: Learn How to Become a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE)
Wednesday, June 9
10:00 am
Webinar: Navigating Government Contracting with the District of Columbia Procurement Technical Assistance Center
Thursday, June 17
10:00 am
Webinar: Introduction to Government Contracting
Wednesday, June 23
2:00 pm
Speak One-on-One with a Lawyer for Free!
Wednesday, June 30
11:00 am - 5:00 pm (by appointment)
SBRC One-On-One Call Session: Steps to Obtaining a Business License
Monday – Friday
10:00 am – 4:00 pm (by appointment)
SBRC One-on-One Call Session: "Talk Business After Hours"
Mondays and Wednesdays
4:00pm - 6:00pm (by appointment)
Occupational and Professional License Renewals
For current occupational or professional licensees, DCRA will begin accepting renewal applications for occupational and professional licenses starting July 1, 2021. Information about how to renew will be issued in the near future.
As a reminder, occupational and professional licenses that expired during the declared public health emergency have been considered valid in accordance with Title III, Section 312 of the “COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020."
Occupational and Professional License Look-Up
As a reminder, if you are looking to verify the existence of an active license, you can search for an occupational or professional license.
DCRA's purview is large. We assist residents and businesses to obtain many city services, however, we are only one among several sister-agencies. Understanding which agency handles which service is sometimes confusing. To assist you, we have an easy-to-use reference guide to help identify when DCRA can help and when inquiries should be made to another agency.
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