Figures marked official zoning GIS record come from the jurisdiction's own zoning map layer, not from the text of the code. That record is dated and linked above, and it is a summary of the ordinance rather than the ordinance itself — where a standard is banded or was recently amended, the code text governs. Figures citing a section are quoted from the code directly.
Development governed by lot occupancy / building form, not FAR (see development-standards matrix).
Read from District of Columbia Zoning Regulations of 2016 (Title 11 DCMR), effective through 2026-04-03. Amendments adopted after that date (most recent 2026-07-17) are not yet reflected.
How complete is this market? Across 134,966 parcels we answer 93.9% of the 6 questions this site is built to answer, each with a source you can check. The rest are shown as “not recorded” rather than filled in — we would rather be short than wrong.
Permitted uses in BF-2B
AllowedResidential flats Maximum of 2 principal dwelling units in RF-1; Subtitle U §301.1(b)
AllowedBoarding house Subject to conditions: no more than 8 total persons on premises; no transient guests (stays under 90 days); no signage displayed; no advertisement as hotel/motel/inn/hostel/B&B/etc.; no cooking facilities in individual units; Subtitle U §301.1(h)
AllowedCorner store Subject to matter-of-right conditions of Subtitle U § 254; Subtitle U §301.1(i)
AllowedUses permitted within a District of Columbia former public school building Subject to matter-of-right conditions of Subtitle U § 252; Subtitle U §301.1(j)
AllowedMedical care uses Subtitle U §301.1(k)
AllowedMultiple dwelling in Squares 2580, 2581, 2582, 2583, 2584, 2586W, 2587, or 2589 Only for multiple dwellings in existence as of December 14, 2015 with a valid certificate of occupancy, or with a complete building permit application accepted by DCRA prior to December 14, 2015; shall not be expanded in gross floor area, lot occupancy, number of stories, building height, penthouse height, or number of units; may be repaired, renovated, remodeled, or structurally altered; Subtitle U §301.1(m)
AllowedConversion of existing non-residential building or structure to an apartment house Permitted in RF-1 subject to conditions: existing building/structure at time of permit application; max addition height 35 ft.; minimum 900 sq. ft. of land area per dwelling unit; addition shall not extend more than 10 ft. past furthest rear wall of adjacent principal residential building; rooftop architectural elements original to structure shall not be removed or significantly altered; additions shall not block adjacent compliant chimney/vent or significantly interfere with existing adjacent solar energy system of at least 2kW; Subtitle U §301.2
ConditionalExpansion of apartment house converted from non-residential building prior to June 26, 2015 In RF-1, such converted apartment houses are conforming uses but may not expand structurally or increase number of units unless approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment pursuant to Subtitle X, Chapter 9, and Subtitle U § 320.3; Subtitle U §301.2(h)
ConditionalCommunity service center Must not be objectionable to neighbors, must be reasonably necessary or convenient to neighborhood, must be non-profit with no private inurement; Subtitle U §320.1(b)
ConditionalCorner store use not meeting matter-of-right conditions of Subtitle U § 254 Subtitle U §320.1(d): “A corner store use in any of the RF-1 zones not meeting the matter-of-right conditions of Subtitle U § 254, subject to the special exception conditions of Subtitle U § 254.14;”
ConditionalParks and recreation uses not meeting conditions of Subtitle C, Chapter 16 Building height not to exceed 45 ft.; public recreation and community center may be permitted lot occupancy not to exceed 40% if approved by BZA per Subtitle C § 1610; Subtitle U §320.1(d)
ConditionalConversion of existing residential building (existing prior to May 12, 1958) to an apartment house Subtitle U §320.2, in full: “320.2 The conversion of an existing residential building existing on the lot prior to May 12, 1958, to an apartment house, or the renovation or expansion of an existing apartment house deemed a conforming use pursuant to Subtitle U § 301.4 that increases the number of units, shall be permitted in any of the RF-1 zones if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception pursuant to Subtitle X, Chapter 9, and subject to the following conditions: (a) The building to be converted or expanded is in existence on the property at the time the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs accepts as complete the building permit application for the conversion or expansion; (b) The fourth (4th) dwelling unit and every additional even number dwelling unit thereafter shall be subject to the requirements of Subtitle C, Chapter 10, Inclusionary Zoning, including the set aside requirement set forth at Subtitle C § 1003.10; and City of Washington, D.C. | Title 11 - Zoning SUBTITLE U, CHAPTER 3-6 (c) There shall be a minimum of nine hundred square feet (900 sq. ft.) of land area per each existing and new dwelling unit.”
ConditionalApartment house in RF-1 converted from residential building prior to June 26, 2015 (or per Subtitle A §§ 301.9, 301.10, or 301.11) — expansion of structure or units Such apartment houses are conforming uses but may not expand structurally or by unit count without BZA approval under Subtitle X, Chapter 9 and § 320.2; Subtitle U §320.2(m)
ConditionalConversion of a non-residential building or other structure to an apartment house not meeting one or more requirements of Subtitle U § 301.2 A special exception in any of the RF-1 zones, subject to the adverse-effect, graphical-representation and design conditions the section states. Subtitle U §320.3
ConditionalArts, Design, and Creation (ground floor, Sumner Road frontage) Matter-of-right only in buildings with frontage along Sumner Road SE; limited to ground floor; all operations and storage inside building; sales of artwork produced by occupants permitted within studio; Subtitle K §1113.2(a)
ConditionalHome occupation (Sumner Road frontage) Matter-of-right only in buildings with frontage along Sumner Road SE; subject to conditions of Subtitle U §251; Subtitle K §1113.2(b)
"Conditional" means the use generally requires a public hearing or special-exception approval — a very different timeline and risk profile from a by-right permit.
This is the zone. What about the parcel?
Zone rules are the starting point — the answer for a specific property also depends on lot
size, overlays, existing improvements and site conditions. Run a free address lookup to see
what applies to one property.
Every development standard on this page shows where it came from. Figures cited to a section are quoted from Title 11 DCMR itself and verified word for word against the code text. Figures linked to an official zoning GIS record come from the DC Office of Zoning's own mapped zoning data, which is dated and re-queryable but is a summary of the code rather than the code — where a standard is banded or recently amended, the ordinance text governs. Anything we cannot source is shown as “not recorded” rather than filled in. Use permissions follow Subtitle U.