Office of Tax and Revenue: Taxpayer Rights
DC Home Mayor Fenty DC Guide Residents Business Visitors DC Government Kids

Office of Tax and Revenue

CFO HOME
CFO HOME
TAXPAYER SERVICE
   CENTER

TAXPAYER SERVICE
CENTER

About OTR
ABOUT OTR
SERVICES
SERVICES
INFORMATION
INFORMATION
ONLINE SERVICE
   REQUESTS

ONLINE SERVICE
   REQUESTS

How to Reach Us
Ask the Director
FOIA Requests
FAQs
Helpful Links
News Room
Business Tax Center
Individual Income Tax
   Center

Real Property Center
Recorder of Deeds
Tax Forms/Publications
Tax Practitioner Center
Amnesty Programs
Audit Division
Baseball Fees/Taxes
Board of Real Property
Collection Division
Delinquent Taxpayers
EITC
Refund Status
Sales Tax Holiday
Tax Fraud Hotline
Tax Law/Guidance
Tax Rates/Revenues
Tax Sale
Agency Directory

Taxpayer Rights

Informal Conference
There are occasions when a taxpayer may disagree with a decision rendered by the Office of Tax and Revenue’s (OTR) Audit division. Decisions may include a proposed audit change of a return, denial of a refund request, denial of penalty and/or interest, or a rejection of an offer in compromise.  Thus, you have the right to appeal the decisions of OTR.  To appeal a decision made by the OTR, you must file a written request within 30 days from the date of the notice. The request must be mailed to:

            The Office of Tax and Revenue
            Audit Division
            PO Box 556
            Washington, DC 20044

The Audit Division’s Review and Conference Unit will notify you of the time and place of the informal conference within 30 days from the receipt of your request. The date set for the informal conference may be postponed once at your request and once at the request of the Review and Conference’s Unit.

If you disagree with the findings of your informal conference, you may: 

  • Petition the Office of Administrative Hearings;
  • Petition the Compliance Administration Reconsideration Office; or
  • Petition the District of Columbia Superior Court.

Appeal Rights
To request an administrative appeal, you must file a Notice of Intent to petition for appeal with the Office of Administrative Hearings within 30 days of the informal conference decision.

If the Office of Administrative Hearings upholds the decision of the Review and Conference Unit, you have the right to appeal to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia within six months. You must, however, pay the tax, penalty, and interest prior to petitioning Superior Court.