# Notice of claim against the District of Columbia · District of Columbia — Deadlines to notify or sue a government body, by state

For Notice of claim against the District of Columbia · District of Columbia, requirement is Notice of claim against the District of Columbia; state is District of Columbia; deadline is six months; what must be done in that time is an action may not be maintained against the District of Columbia for unliquidated damages to person or property unless, within six months after the injury or damage was sustained, the claimant, his agent, or attorney has given notice in writing to the Mayor of the District of Columbia of the approximate time, place, cause, and circumstances of the injury or damage; when the clock starts is after the injury or damage was sustained, recorded from its source on 2026-08-26.

- **Requirement:** Notice of claim against the District of Columbia _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **State:** District of Columbia _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Deadline:** six months _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **What must be done in that time:** an action may not be maintained against the District of Columbia for unliquidated damages to person or property unless, within six months after the injury or damage was sustained, the claimant, his agent, or attorney has given notice in writing to the Mayor of the District of Columbia of the approximate time, place, cause, and circumstances of the injury or damage _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **When the clock starts:** after the injury or damage was sustained _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Who the notice goes to:** the Mayor of the District of Columbia _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **If you miss it:** an action may not be maintained against the District of Columbia for unliquidated damages to person or property _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Section:** 12–309

## What the source says

> (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an action may not be maintained against the District of Columbia for unliquidated damages to person or property unless, within six months after the injury or damage was sustained, the claimant, his agent, or attorney has given notice in writing to the Mayor of the District of Columbia of the approximate time, place, cause, and circumstances of the injury or damage. A report in writing by the Metropolitan Police Department, in regular course of duty, is a sufficient notice under this section.

## Source

- https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/12-309

Last verified: 2026-08-26. Review by: 2027-08-26.
Part of [Deadlines to notify or sue a government body, by state](https://referencesource.org/government-tort-claim-notice-deadlines-by-state/).