District of Columbia Unemployment Calculator
As of October 19, 2026, regular District of Columbia unemployment pays $50 to $444 a week for up to 26 weeks. The District sets the maximum for each calendar year, so the range can change for claims from January 2027. Enter your wages for the four quarters of your base period to estimate your weekly benefit, your maximum total benefit and which rule capped it.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Formulas and sources checked October 19, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Weekly benefit range (October 19, 2026)
$50 to $444
Current figures
Maximum weeks
26
Regular state benefits only
State income tax on benefits
Not taxed by the state
Federal income tax applies in every state
District of Columbia unemployment benefit calculator
Which months are my four quarters?
The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. The quarter you file in, and the one just before it, are left out. Enter the quarters in order, oldest first. Each quarter is three calendar months: January to March, April to June, July to September, October to December.
| If you file in | Your base period is |
|---|---|
| January to March 2026 | October 2024 to September 2025 |
| April to June 2026 | January to December 2025 |
| July to September 2026 | April 2025 to March 2026 |
| October to December 2026 | July 2025 to June 2026 |
Use gross wages (before taxes) from every covered job, in the quarter they were earned. If your wages are too low under this period, many states test an alternate base period made of the last four completed quarters.
Enter your wages above to see your District of Columbia estimate.
How much does unemployment pay in District of Columbia?
The weekly benefit amount is one twenty-sixth of your wages in the highest base period quarter, rounded up to the next whole dollar.
The District caps it at a maximum that DOES sets for each calendar year. DOL July 2026 lists $444. A highest quarter of $1,300, the lowest that qualifies, gives the $50 minimum.
The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. If you do not have enough wages in it, the District uses the last four completed quarters, so enter those quarters if this estimate says you do not qualify.
District of Columbia unemployment eligibility: the wage tests
These are the monetary tests only. District of Columbia also decides whether you lost your job through no fault of your own and whether you are able and available to work.
- $1,300 or more in one base period quarter,
- $1,950 or more in total base period wages, paid in at least two quarters, and
- total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter. A shortfall of up to $70 still qualifies, with the weekly amount cut by $1 (gap of $35 or less) or $2.
Maximum weeks and maximum benefit amount
The District pays up to 26 times your weekly benefit amount, which is 26 weeks for every eligible claimant. A total that is not a whole dollar is rounded down.
Working part time while collecting
The District adds $50 to your weekly benefit amount, subtracts 66 percent of your earnings for the week, and rounds down to a whole dollar. The payment never exceeds the weekly benefit amount. Example: a $300 weekly amount and $200 of earnings gives $300 + $50 - $132 = $218.
Are District of Columbia unemployment benefits taxable?
Unemployment benefits are taxable income on your federal return in every state. Unemployment benefits are taxable on your federal return, but D.C. Code 47-1803.02(a)(2)(LL) excludes unemployment insurance benefits paid by the District or any other state from District gross income for tax years beginning after December 31, 2020, so DC does not tax them.
How to apply in District of Columbia
File a claim online with DOES, then certify for benefits each week. DOES decides your actual weekly amount from the wages employers report.
D.C. Department of Employment Services: Unemployment Compensation
When this changes: The District sets a new maximum for each calendar year, with a recommendation due by September 30, so the $444 figure can change on January 1, 2027. Maximum is set for each calendar year: DOES recommends it by September 30 and it applies from January 1 unless the Council disapproves, so recheck after October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does unemployment pay in District of Columbia?
Regular District of Columbia unemployment pays between $50 and $444 a week as of October 19, 2026. The District sets the maximum for each calendar year, so the range can change for claims from January 2027. Your amount depends on the wages you were paid in your base period. The weekly benefit amount is one twenty-sixth of your wages in the highest base period quarter, rounded up to the next whole dollar.
How is the District of Columbia weekly benefit amount calculated?
The weekly benefit amount is one twenty-sixth of your wages in the highest base period quarter, rounded up to the next whole dollar. The District caps it at a maximum that DOES sets for each calendar year. DOL July 2026 lists $444. A highest quarter of $1,300, the lowest that qualifies, gives the $50 minimum.
How long can I collect unemployment in District of Columbia?
The District pays up to 26 times your weekly benefit amount, which is 26 weeks for every eligible claimant. A total that is not a whole dollar is rounded down.
Are unemployment benefits taxable in District of Columbia?
Unemployment benefits are taxable on your federal return, but D.C. Code 47-1803.02(a)(2)(LL) excludes unemployment insurance benefits paid by the District or any other state from District gross income for tax years beginning after December 31, 2020, so DC does not tax them.
Can I work part time and still get District of Columbia unemployment?
The District adds $50 to your weekly benefit amount, subtracts 66 percent of your earnings for the week, and rounds down to a whole dollar. The payment never exceeds the weekly benefit amount. Example: a $300 weekly amount and $200 of earnings gives $300 + $50 - $132 = $218.
Does DC pay extra for dependents?
No. The District once added $5 for each dependent relative, but D.C. Code 51-107(f) says that allowance does not apply to claims for benefit years starting on or after January 5, 1997.
Sources for District of Columbia
- D.C. Code 51-107: Determination of amount and duration of benefits1/26 formula, wage tests, 26 weeks, partial-week formula, annual maximum
- D.C. Code 51-101: DefinitionsBase period and alternate base period
- D.C. Code 47-1803.02: Gross income exclusionsExclusion of unemployment insurance benefits from DC income
- DOES: Unemployment compensationHow to file a claim
- U.S. DOL, Significant Provisions of State UI Laws (July 2026)Cross-check of minimum, maximum, weeks and the partial-benefit disregard
Sources checked October 19, 2026.
Verification note: The formula, wage tests, 26-week duration and partial-week rule come from D.C. Code 51-107 as published on the Council's code site. The DOES website could not be read from our build environment, so the $444 maximum is the DOL July 2026 figure. The statute does not say which highest-quarter amount the 1.5 times test ignores; the calculator treats wages above the amount that first reaches the maximum weekly amount as not counting, and reads "$1,950 in not less than 2 quarters" as at least $1,950 in total with wages in at least two quarters.