State Superintendent of Education: Rulemakings Governing Student Residency Verification, 1993 to Present
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Student Residency Verification
Rulemakings Governing Student Residency Verification, 1993 to Present

The chart below illustrates the documentation currently required to prove residency under the present rulemaking and what documentation was required under prior rulemakings.

Board of Education Rulemaking
(as of February 26, 1993)
Control Board Rulemaking
(as of April 17, 1998)
SEO Emergency Rulemaking
(as of June 20, 2001)
Evidence of DC residency may include, but is not necessarily limited to, the following:
  • Proof of payment of DC personal income tax;

  • Title to DC residential property, valid lease agreement or rent receipts for applicant's actual DC residence;

  • A valid DC Motor Vehicle Operators Permit, or a DC Motor Vehicle Registration;

  • Maintenance of DC voter registration;

  • Maintenance of bank or credit account(s) in DC; and

  • Membership in a church or organization located in DC.
DC residency shall be established through the use of documentation by the parent or guardian as follows:
A: One of the following items shall be required:
  1. Proof of payment of DC personal income tax for the tax period closest to consideration of DC residency; or
  1. A current tax withholding statement; or
  1. Current documentation of financial assistance from DC government
    (e.g. TANF).
B: In Addition, two or more of the following items shall be required to establish District residency:
  1. Vehicle Registration;
  1. Title to DC residential property, valid lease agreement & current paid rent receipts or canceled rent checks for applicant's actual DC residence;
  1. A valid DC Motor Vehicle Operator's Permit, or non-driver's identification;
  1. Maintenance of DC voter registration;
  1. One or more utility bills, & current paid receipts or canceled checks.
If the parent, court-appointed guardian or custodian cannot provide the above described documents, the Superintendent or his/her designee can grant an exemption to the required indicators of DC residency.
Documentation to establish DC residency for local school verification & certification may be brought in by the person seeking to enroll the student (parent, guardian or caregiver) or by that person's appointed representative. Such documentation consists of the following:
A: One of the following items shall suffice to establish DC residency:
  1. Proof of payment of DC personal income tax; or
  1. A current pay stub DC residency & evidence of the withholding DC income tax; or
  1. Current documentation of financial assistance received from the DC Government; or
  1. Confirmation, based complete & submitted tax information authorization waiver form, by the DC Office of Finance & Revenue of payment of DC income taxes; or
  1. Current official military housing orders showing residency in the DC; or
  1. A current, valid court order indicating that the student is a ward of the DC.
B: Alternatively, two of the listed items shall suffice as proof of residency in DC:
  1. Current motor vehicle registration; or
  1. Valid, current lease or rental agreement, & paid current receipts or canceled checks for payment of rent for student's actual, DC residence; or
  1. Valid DC motor vehicle operator's permit or non-driver identification; or
  1. Utility bills (not telephone bills) & paid current receipts or cancelled checks with DC address.
If the parent, guardian or caregiver cannot produce residency documents, he or she can permit the principal to conduct a home visit to determine residency.

If the parent, guardian, or caregiver cannot establish residency, school personnel will send him/her to the office for procedures established by DCPS or the appropriate chartering authority.