Washington, DC · Title 11 DCMR (2016 Zoning Regulations)
The RA-7 zone is DC's highest-density residential apartment zone, with height up to 90 feet (the maximum permitted on residential streets under the Federal Heights Act). It is applied to the most transit-intensive residential locations. IZ mandatory. Represents peak residential redevelopment potential in DC. Note: in the RA-7 zone, Subtitle U §422.2 additionally prohibits (matter-of-right and by special exception) a public utility pumping station, storage of wares and goods on an alley lot, and a telecommunications facility.
Development standards in RA-7
We don't hold published dimensional standards for this zone yet — see the ordinance link below for the authoritative table.
Permitted uses in RA-7
AllowedSingle-family dwelling (detached, semi-detached, or row) Principal dwelling; building type per use group. Subtitle U §201.1(a) via §301.1(a)/§401.1(a).
AllowedResidential flat Up to 2 principal dwelling units. Subtitle U §301.1(b) via §401.1(a).
AllowedHotel in existence as of May 16, 1980 Matter-of-right; gross floor area and function/exhibit/commercial-adjunct area may not be increased (may be repaired, renovated, remodeled, or structurally altered). Subtitle U §401.1(d)(2).
AllowedAccessory dwelling (in an existing accessory building) Conditions on access and a pre-2013 accessory building. Subtitle U §301.1(c) via §401.1(a).
AllowedBoarding house (up to 8 persons) Stays of 90+ days; no in-unit cooking. Subtitle U §301.1(h).
AllowedHome occupation Accessory; resident-operated, up to 4 clients/day. Subtitle U §410.1(e)/§251.
AllowedContinuing care retirement community Subtitle U §401.1(d)(3).
ConditionalEmergency shelter Matter-of-right, §202.1(i): “(i) Emergency shelter of not more than four (4) persons, not including resident supervisors or staff and their families” In the R zones the special exception is §203.1(i): “(i) Emergency shelter use for five (5) to fifteen (15) persons, not including resident supervisors or staff and their families” In the RA zones it is §420.1(g): “(g) Emergency shelter use for five (5) to twenty-five (25) persons, not including resident supervisors or staff and their families”
ConditionalHealth care facility / medical clinic Up to 6 persons matter-of-right (§202.1(k)/§301.1(l)); 9–300 by special exception (§203.1(j)).
ConditionalChild, elderly, or daytime-care center Smaller facilities matter-of-right (§202.1(g)/§401.1(c),(g)/§301.1(n)); larger by special exception (§203(h)).
ConditionalReligious or institutional group residence and uses Up to 15 persons matter-of-right (§201.1(b)/§202(k)); over 15 by special exception (§203(c),(p)).
AllowedCommunity or recreation center, park, playground, or pool Conditions on lighting and parking. Subtitle U §202.1(n)/§401.1(f).
AllowedPublic education building or public school (including collocation) Subtitle U §202(n),(o).
ConditionalPrivate school (with staff residences) Subtitle U §203(m).
AllowedGovernment (local) use or mass transit facility Subtitle U §202.1(j),(r).
AllowedReuse of a former DC public school building Per §252 conditions. Subtitle U §202(s)/§252.
AllowedPrivate club with sleeping accommodations Subtitle U §401.1(b).
ConditionalArt gallery or museum Board of Zoning Adjustment conditions. Subtitle U §420.1(b).
ConditionalPerforming arts / live theater (existing theater) Subtitle U §203(l).
ConditionalCommunity service center Subtitle U §320.1(b).
ConditionalCommercial or nonresidential adjunct (in a hotel or apartment house) Subtitle U §420.1(e): “(e) Commercial adjuncts to a hotel containing less than one hundred (100) rooms or suites subject to the following ...”; and §420.1(h): “(h) Nonresidential adjunct uses as an accessory use within an apartment house, consisting of the sale of foods, drugs, and sundries and personal services designed to serve the tenants' daily living needs subject to the following ...”
AllowedAgricultural use (large or residential, excluding private stable) Subtitle U §202(c),(d).
ConditionalPrivate stable Accessory use. Subtitle U §203(n).
AllowedCommunity solar facility Roof array matter-of-right; ground array has conditions (larger = special exception §203(f)). Subtitle U §201.1(c).
AllowedCar-sharing spaces (up to 2, unimproved lot) Subtitle U §202(e).
AllowedPrivate garage (principal use, up to 2 cars) Subtitle U §202.1(m).
ConditionalParking (principal or off-site accessory) Subtitle U §203(k).
Not AllowedParking garage (principal use) A principal-use parking garage (on a lot other than an alley lot) is permitted only in RA-5, by special exception; not permitted in other RA zones. Subtitle U §420.1(i).
ConditionalUtility use Subtitle U §202/§203(q).
AllowedTemporary use (construction office; fair, circus, or carnival) Time-limited. Subtitle U §202(p),(q).
ConditionalChancery Special exception in most RA zones (§203(b)); matter-of-right in RA-4/RA-5 (§401.2).
Not AllowedCorner store Not permitted in RA zones. Subtitle U §401.1(a) (excluded) / §420.1(d).
Not AllowedDrive-through accessory to any use Not permitted. Subtitle U §420.1(f).
"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.
Standards as recorded by Zonescore: 11 DCMR Subtitle F (RA zones), RA-7
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.