Building permits · May 2026

District of Columbia Building Permits

Monthly residential building permits for District of Columbia from the U.S. Census Building Permits Survey — 455 units authorized in May 2026, 1,852 over the last 12 months.

455
Units (latest month)
21
Single-family units
434
Multifamily (5+) units
$81,274,000
Reported value
Trailing 12 months: 1,852 units permitted · latest month +9000% vs. a year earlier.
Total units permitted, by monthDec 2024May 2026
Dec 2024May 2026
Structure typeUnitsShare
Single-family (1-unit)214.6%
2-unit structures00.0%
3–4 unit structures00.0%
Multifamily (5+ units)43495.4%
All units455100%

Building permits across the U.S.

Total housing units permittedMay 2026 · by state
Loading map…
Fewer permitsMore

Click a state to see its building permits.

Go deeper than states

Drill into counties, metros, and cities — color, compare, and export — on the full interactive map.

District of Columbia permits by county

Top cities in District of Columbia

By units permitted in the last 12 months.

District of Columbia building permits — FAQ

How many building permits were issued in District of Columbia?+

455 new residential housing units were authorized in District of Columbia in May 2026, and 1,852 over the trailing 12 months, per the U.S. Census Building Permits Survey.

Is homebuilding rising or falling in District of Columbia?+

In May 2026, District of Columbia permitted units were up 9000% versus the same month a year earlier. Over the trailing 12 months, 1,852 units were authorized.

What share is multifamily?+

95.4% of District of Columbia's May 2026 permitted units were in multifamily (2+ unit) structures; 4.6% were single-family.

Other states