Debt relief in Washington, D.C.: collection rules, time limits and your options

Updated November 9, 2026

Washington, D.C. at a glance (checked November 2026)

Debt collection rules in Washington, D.C.

D.C. has one of the strongest local collection laws in the country. Since January 2023, D.C. Code § 28-3814 covers nearly every kind of consumer debt, including credit cards, medical bills and condo or homeowner association fees. Loans secured directly by real estate and direct car installment loans are left out. The law applies to the original creditor as well as to collection agencies and debt buyers, so a bank collecting its own card debt has to follow it too.

Among other things, a collector generally can't call you more than four times a week about one account, and generally can't tell your employer about the debt. The Office of the Attorney General enforces the law.

The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act applies on top of that. A third-party collector can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., threaten arrest, or misstate what you owe. It must send you a validation notice, and if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days, it has to stop until it verifies the debt.

How long creditors have to sue

Most debts in D.C., including credit cards, personal loans and medical bills, have a 3-year limit (D.C. Code § 12-301). The clock usually starts when you miss a payment and don't catch up. D.C. also closes two gaps that most states leave open:

• No one can sue you, or threaten to, on a consumer debt once the time limit has run, and that includes the original creditor.
• A payment or a promise to pay on a debt that's already past the limit doesn't restart the clock.

If you're sued anyway, answer by the date on the court papers and raise the time limit yourself. The court won't raise it for you.

What can be garnished in Washington, D.C.

D.C. ties its garnishment limits to its own minimum wage, which is far higher than the federal $7.25. If your take-home pay in a week is 40 times the D.C. minimum wage or less, none of it can be garnished for an ordinary debt. Above that line, a creditor with a judgment can generally take 25% of the amount over it (D.C. Code § 16-572). If that still causes real hardship, you can ask D.C. Superior Court to protect more of your pay (§ 16-572.01).

Child support and taxes follow separate rules. Social Security and other federal benefits stay protected from ordinary creditors, even after they're deposited in your bank account.

Ways out of debt in Washington, D.C.

• Nonprofit credit counseling can set up a debt management plan that lowers your card rates and rolls your payments into one. Look for an agency accredited by the NFCC or FCAA.
• Know your payoff date: our credit card payoff calculator shows how long your cards will take to clear at the payment you can afford.
• Debt settlement companies can't charge you a fee until they've actually settled a debt, under federal rules. Forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
• Bankruptcy: D.C. lets you choose between its own exemption list, which protects the home you live in with no dollar cap, and the federal list. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you which keeps more of what you own.

Where to get help or complain

• D.C. Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection takes complaints about collectors and creditors.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
• Legal Aid DC gives free civil legal help, including when you're sued over a debt.

General information about District of Columbia law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.