District Of Columbia County Lis Pendens Form (District Of Columbia)
All District Of Columbia County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:
Lis Pendens Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Included District Of Columbia County compliant document last validated/updated 6/11/2025
Lis Pendens Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included District Of Columbia County compliant document last validated/updated 12/12/2024
Completed Example of the Lis Pendens Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included District Of Columbia County compliant document last validated/updated 1/7/2025
The following District Of Columbia and District Of Columbia County supplemental forms are included as a courtesy with your order:
When using these Lis Pendens forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in District Of Columbia County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:
District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds
1101 4th St, SW, 5th floor, Washington, District of Columbia 20024
Hours: Recording 9 am to 3 pm Document Research 9 am to 4 pm
Phone: (202) 727-5374
Local jurisdictions located in District Of Columbia County include:
- Naval Anacost Annex
- Washington
- Washington Navy Yard
How long does it take to get my forms?
Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.
How do I get my forms, are they emailed?
Immediately after you submit payment, the District Of Columbia County forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.
What does "validated/updated" mean?
This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:
- Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
- Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in District Of Columbia County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in District Of Columbia County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by District Of Columbia County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.
Can the Lis Pendens forms be re-used?
Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in District Of Columbia County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in District Of Columbia County.
What are supplemental forms?
Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by District Of Columbia or District Of Columbia County. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.
What type of files are the forms?
All of our District Of Columbia County Lis Pendens forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.
Do I need any special software to use these forms?
You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.
Do I have to enter all of my property information online?
No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.
Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?
Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.
Are there any recurring fees involved?
No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.
Notice of Pendency of Action (Lis Pendens) for the District of Columbia
Lis Pendens is Latin for "Pending Suit" A Lis Pendens is generally filed by the plaintiff. A Lis Pendens is a notice of litigation filed with the Recorder of Deeds to put third parties on constructive notice that a property interest is involved in pending litigation. Constructive notice means that people will be treated as if they had notice of the pending legal action. A Lis Pendens will show up in a title search, letting would be buyers know that there is pending litigation and if they purchase the property, they would be subject to the outcome of the litigation. In Washington, DC, lis pendens are governed by statute: DC 42-1207. In the District of Columbia a Lis Pendens must contain this information, ref 42--1207(b).
(1) Name of the court in which the action or proceeding has been filed;
(2) Title of the action or proceeding;
(3) Docket number;
(4) Date of filing;
(5) Object of the filing;
(6) Amount of the claim asserted or the nature of any other relief sought;
(7) Name of the person whose estate is intended to be affected thereby; and
(8) Description of the real property sought to be affected.
Once completed a Lis Pendens becomes effective when it is recorded at the Recorder of Deeds Office.
Common uses of a Lis Pendens in the DOC:
Quiet Title Action: This could protect the plaintiff if a third party is trying to purchase the property from the defendant before the suit is settled.
Mechanics Lien: In DC, a lawsuit to enforce a mechanic's lien must be brought within 180 days following recordation of the notice of lien, otherwise the lien is terminated. The contractor must also file a notice of pendency of action (lis pendens) with land records within ten (10) days of filing the lawsuit. See DC ST 40-303.13.
Divorce Proceeding: Typically used when the name of the property is in one person's name only. This could prevent that person from selling the property before the divorce settlement.
Foreclosure: When the lender files a notice of suit, a Lis Pendens is also filed. The Lis Pendens notifies all who may have an interest in the property of the pending lawsuit.
Our Promise
The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the District Of Columbia County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.
Save Time and Money
Get your District Of Columbia County Lis Pendens form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.
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Ira
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