Post-judgment interest by state · District of Columbia
District of Columbia · after judgment
Post-judgment interest in District of Columbia
An unpaid District of Columbia money judgment earns 5% a year unless the judgment or a contract says otherwise. On a $5,000.00 judgment that is $250.00 in the first year, about $0.68 a day.
How the rate is set
70% of the IRS underpayment rate under 26 U.S.C. §6621, rounded to the nearest whole percent (exactly one half rounds up). It moves with the IRS rate each quarter. The court may set a lower rate for good cause.
- Statute or rule
- D.C. Code §28-3302(c)
- Figure read on 2026-10-23
- IRS underpayment 7% × 0.7 = 4.9
- Statute re-checked
- 2026-10-23
- Changes
- Q4 2026 (70% of the IRS underpayment rate 7%)
When a different rate applies
- A judgment against the District or its employees is capped at 4%.
- A contract's stated rate governs.
Work out your own judgment
District of Columbia is prefilled at 5%. Enter the amount and the date the judgment was entered. The calculator uses simple interest; that is how this rate accrues.
How District of Columbia's rate is set, and where it comes from
Uses simple interest at the rate you enter — pre-filled with each state's standard statutory rate, editable since some states publish a new rate quarterly or annually. Some states apply a different rate to specific debt types (noted above where it applies) or when a contract specifies its own rate. Informational only, not legal advice; confirm the current rate and any exceptions with your court clerk before relying on this figure.
The formula, worked
Last reviewed: October 2026
Interest = principal × rate × days ÷ 365. For $5,000.00 at 5%: $5,000.00 × 0.05000 × 365 ÷ 365 = $250.00 after one year, and $0.68 for each further day.
What this page does not know
- The rate written on your judgment. If the court stated a rate, that one applies, whatever the default is today.
- Partial payments. Interest accrues only on what is still unpaid.
- Whether a change has already applied to your judgment: District of Columbia re-rates existing judgments on its schedule, so an older judgment has carried more than one rate.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every figure is cited to the statute or the office that publishes it; confirm the current rate with the court clerk before relying on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the post-judgment interest rate in District of Columbia right now?
5% a year for an ordinary money judgment, for Q4 2026 (70% of the IRS underpayment rate 7%), under D.C. Code §28-3302(c).
How is the District of Columbia rate set?
70% of the IRS underpayment rate under 26 U.S.C. §6621, rounded to the nearest whole percent (exactly one half rounds up). It moves with the IRS rate each quarter. The court may set a lower rate for good cause.
Is it simple or compound interest?
Simple interest: it is calculated on the original judgment amount only and never on earlier interest.
Can my District of Columbia judgment carry a different rate?
Yes. A judgment against the District or its employees is capped at 4%. A contract's stated rate governs. The judgment itself may also state a rate, and that controls.
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