2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 47 - Taxation, Licensing, Permits, Assessments, and Fees. [Enacted title] › Chapter 4 - Collection and Disbursement of Taxes › Subchapter I - General Provisions › § 47–405. Certificate of taxes and assessments due; furnishment; fee

§ 47–405. Certificate of taxes and assessments due; furnishment; fee.
(a) The Mayor shall furnish whenever called upon, a certified statement of all taxes and assessments, general and special, that may be due at the time of making the certificate; and the certificate when furnished shall be a bar to the collection and recovery from any subsequent purchaser of any tax or assessment omitted from and which may be a lien upon the real property mentioned in the certificate, and the lien shall be discharged as to such subsequent purchaser, but shall not affect the liability of the person who owned the real property at the time such tax was assessed to pay the same, mentioned in the certificate. The Mayor shall collect a fee for each certificate of taxes issued.
(b) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to taxes and assessments, general and special, for which a lien has been recorded at the Recorder of Deeds.
(c) This section shall not apply to taxes owed, or which shall be owed, under § 47-850.02(c)(2) or § 47-863(g)(2).
(c-1) This section shall not apply to real property taxes deferred under §§ 47-845, 47-845.01, 47-845.02, and 47-845.03.
(d) The certified statement may be furnished in the form of a physical certificate or via an electronic medium, at the discretion of the Mayor. When furnished via an electronic medium, a digital signature shall be deemed a signature and official seal for purposes of subsection (a) of this section; provided, that in the absence of the digital signature, the last update to the electronic file as evidenced by the records of the Mayor, immediately prior to transfer of the real property for which the certified statement was obtained, shall be deemed the certified statement.
(Feb. 6, 1879, 20 Stat. 283, ch. 50; May 13, 1892, 27 Stat. 37, ch. 74; Mar. 3, 1917, 39 Stat. 1005, ch. 160; Mar. 3, 1925, 43 Stat. 1222, ch. 477; June 25, 1938, 52 Stat. 1202, ch. 702, § 11; Mar. 16, 1978, D.C. Law 2-57, § 2, 24 DCR 5426; enacted, Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-254, § 2, 44 DCR 1575; June 9, 2001, D.C. Law 13-305, § 508(e)(1), 48 DCR 334; Apr. 4, 2003, D.C. Law 14-282, § 11(b), 50 DCR 896; Oct, 20, 2005, D.C. Law 16-33, § 1143(a), 52 DCR 7503.)
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 47-405.
1973 Ed., § 47-306.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 13-305 rewrote the section which had read:
“The Collector of Taxes shall furnish whenever called upon, a certified statement, over his hand and official seal, of all taxes and assessments, general and special, that may be due at the time of making said certificate; and said certificate when furnished shall be a bar to the collection and recovery from any subsequent purchaser of any tax or assessment omitted from and which may be a lien upon the real estate mentioned in said certificate, and said lien shall be discharged as to such subsequent purchaser, but shall not affect the liability of the person who owned the property at the time such tax was assessed to pay the same, mentioned in said certificate. The charge for each certificate of taxes so issued shall be $6.”
D.C. Law 14-282, in subsec. (b), substituted “Subsection (a) of this section” for “This section”; and added subsecs. (c) and (d).
D.C. Law 16-33 added subsec. (c-1).
Emergency Legislation
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 8(e)(1) of Real Property Tax Clarity and Litter Control Administration Emergency Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-22, March 16, 2001, 48 DCR 2706).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 12(b) of Tax Clarity and Recorder of Deeds Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-381, June 6, 2002, 49 DCR 5674).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 12(b) of Tax Clarity and Related Amendments Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-456, July 23, 2002, 49 DCR 8107).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 12(b) of Tax Clarity and Related Amendments Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-510, October 23, 2002, 49 DCR 10247).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see §§ 1143(a), 1144 of Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2005 (D.C. Act 16-168, July 26, 2005, 52 DCR 7667).
Temporary Legislation
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 8(e)(1) of Real Property Tax Clarity and Litter Control Administration Temporary Amendment Act of 2001 (D.C. Law 14-8, June 13, 2001, law notification 48 DCR 5916).
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 12(b) of Tax Clarity and Recorder of Deeds Temporary Act of 2002 (D.C. Law 14-191, October 5, 2002, law notification 49 DCR 9549).
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 12(b) of Tax Clarity and Related Amendments Temporary Act of 2003 (D.C. Law 14-228, March 23, 2003, law notification 50 DCR 2741).
Editor's Notes
Office of Collector of Taxes abolished: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 47-401.
Section 1144 of D.C. Law 16-33 provided that §§ 1142 and 1143 shall apply to tax periods beginning after September 30, 2005.