Washington's Birthday Reminder - No Construction Permitted on Sunday or on Legal Holidays

February 14, 2013
The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) reminds contractors, builders and residents that no construction, installation, maintenance, alteration, repair, demolition, or razing activity is allowed on Sundays or during legal holidays - including Washington's Birthday on February 18, 2013 - in the District of Columbia without a special permit.

DCRA also requires contractors, builders and residents that a specialty "after-hours" permit is required to work beyond allowed hours of 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday. Permits are issued that allow construction on Sundays or legal holidays, however, their are strict noise regulations especially in residential, waterfront and special zoning districts that limit the type of work that can be done of these days.

Legal Holidays include:

New Year’s Day, January 1;
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, the third (3rd) Monday in January;
Washington’s Birthday, the third (3rd) Monday in February;
District of Columbia Emancipation Day, April 16;
Memorial Day, the last Monday in May;
Independence Day, July 4;
Labor Day, the first (1st) Monday in September;
Columbus Day, the second (2nd) Monday in October;
Veterans Day, November 11;
Thanksgiving Day, the fourth (4th) Thursday in November; and
Christmas Day, December 25.

Per DCMR 12 (2008) §105.1.11 Specialty Permits

After-Hours Permit, to engage in construction, installation, maintenance, alteration, repair, demolition, or razing activities outside normal working hours, subject to noise regulations set forth in 20 DCMR chapters 27 and 28, 14 DCMR §2515, and the “Georgetown Project and Noise Control Amendment Act of 2004”, effective December 7, 2004 ( DC Law 15-214;. For the purposes of this permit, normal working hours shall be from seven (7) a.m. to seven (7) p.m., Monday through Saturday, exclusive of legal holidays.)

Per DCMR 20 §2803.2

No noise from construction, excluding minor home repairs, shall be permitted within a residential, special purpose, or waterfront zone on any Sunday or legal holiday, or after 7:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. on any weekday.