District of Columbia (D.D.C.)
Common questions
Who can be admitted to the bar of the District of Columbia (D.D.C.)?
D.C. bar or bar of state of principal office; sponsor. Rule: LCvR 83.8(a).
What is the admission fee for the District of Columbia (D.D.C.)?
$350. Payment: must pay admission fee online.
Does the District of Columbia (D.D.C.) allow pro hac vice admission, and what does it cost?
Pro hac vice available: yes. Local counsel: Must seek a sponsor who is an active member of the bar; sponsor e-files motion for permission to appear pro hac vice. Fee: $100 per case.
General admission
- Who qualifies
- D.C. bar or bar of state of principal office; sponsor
- Rule
- LCvR 83.8(a)
- Sponsor
- Sponsor must be an active member of the bar who has known applicant for at least one year; Sponsor's Affidavit required
- Good standing cert.
- Certificate of Good Standing from your state bar required
- Oath
- Admission ceremonies held on the first Wednesday of each month, or following Wednesday if holiday
- Fee
- $350
- Fee payment
- must pay admission fee online
- Apply
- pacer.gov
3 not found in the pulled documents
- Exam or course
- Not in the pulled documents
- Swearing-in
- Not in the pulled documents
- Certificate age
- Not in the pulled documents
Pro hac vice
- Available
- yes
- Rule
- LCvR 83.2(c) or LCrR 44.1(c)
- Local counsel
- Must seek a sponsor who is an active member of the bar; sponsor e-files motion for permission to appear pro hac vice
- Fee
- $100 per case
- Fee covers
- in each case in which pro hac vice admission is desired
6 not found in the pulled documents
- Who qualifies
- Not in the pulled documents
- Residency limits
- Not in the pulled documents
- Limits
- Not in the pulled documents
- Certifications
- Not in the pulled documents
- Form
- Not in the pulled documents
- E-filing
- Not in the pulled documents
Ongoing and other
- Renewal
- No renewal required; attorneys no longer required to renew membership
- Rules dated
- September 2026
3 not found in the pulled documents
- CLE or course
- Not in the pulled documents
- Bankruptcy court
- Not in the pulled documents
- Pending changes
- Not in the pulled documents
Language from the source documents
12 quoted passages
Who qualifies
PLEASE NOTE : You must be admitted to the local DC Bar or the bar of the state in which you maintain your principal office to apply for admission to the U.S. District Court for DC.dcd.uscourts.gov
Sponsor
Complete the Sponsoring Attorney information. The sponsor must be an active member of our bar who has known the applicant for at least one year.dcd.uscourts.gov
Good standing certificate
Document Upload : Click the Upload button, then +Browse to attach pdfs of the Application for Admission, Sponsor’s Affidavit , and a Certificate of Good Standing from your state bar.dcd.uscourts.gov
Admission fee
Effective November 1, 2025, the admission fee for the bar of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia increased to $350.dcd.uscourts.gov
Pro hac vice available
To request permission to appear pro hac vice , you must seek a sponsor who is an active member of our bar.dcd.uscourts.gov
Pro hac vice rule
Pro Hac Vice attorneys whose motion pursuant to LCvR 83.2(d) has been granted select Pro Hac Vice .dcd.uscourts.gov
Local counsel
The sponsor should e-file a motion in the case requesting permission for you to appear pro hac vice , and attach to the motion your hand-signed declaration as well as a certificate of good standing pursuant to LCvR 83.2(c) or LCrR 44.1(c).dcd.uscourts.gov
Pro hac vice fee
A $100 fee will be assessed during filing. Please note that a motion and the payment must be submitted in each case in which pro hac vice admission is desired.dcd.uscourts.gov
Renewal
As of August 14, 2025, attorneys admitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia are no longer required to renew their membership.dcd.uscourts.gov
Application link
Go to https://www.pacer.gov . Click on Register for an Account then click on Attorney Filers for CM/ECF .dcd.uscourts.gov
Who qualifies
Admission to and continuing membership in the Bar of this Court are limited to: (1) attorneys who are active members in good standing in the District of Columbia Bar; or (2) attorneys who are active members in good standing of the Bar of any state in which they maintain their principal law office; or (3) in-house attorneys who are active members in good standing of the Bar of any state and who are authorized to provide legal advice in the state in which they are employed by their organization client.dcd.uscourts.gov