How to pay Washington D.C. estimated taxes.

Washington D.C. collects its own estimated tax through the DC Office of Tax and Revenue, separate from the IRS. Here’s who needs to pay, when, and how to pay online.

Do you need to pay?

You must make estimated payments if you are required to file a DC income tax return and expect to owe $100 or more in tax after withholding and credits.

No underpayment interest if your withholding, credits, and estimated payments equal at least 90% of your 2026 DC tax or 110% of your 2025 DC tax for a 12-month period. The 110% prior-year option applies only to full-year residents. No interest applies if you had no DC tax liability for the prior year.

If you underpay: 10% per year, compounded daily, on underpayments of estimated tax.

For how to pick a safe amount, see how much to pay in estimated taxes.

Deadlines

Four installments due April 15, June 15, and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. This matches the federal schedule. If you file your DC return by January 15, pay the balance with the return and skip the last voucher.

Payment	Due
1st	April 15
2nd	June 15
3rd	September 15
4th	January 15 of the next year

A date on a weekend or holiday moves to the next business day. Pay at least two business days early.

Paying Washington D.C., step by step

What you need

Nothing to set up. MyTax.DC.gov takes payments without an account.
Your Social Security number and a copy of last year's Washington D.C. return.
Your bank routing and account numbers.

Start at MyTax.DC.gov, Washington D.C.'s official payment site.

Go to MyTax.DC.gov.
To pay without logging in, use the quick payment option on the homepage. It accepts credit or debit cards only.
Select individual income tax, choose the D-40ES estimated payment for tax year 2026, and enter your taxpayer identification number.
Enter the amount and your card details, then submit and save the confirmation.
To pay from a bank account (ACH debit) with no fee, log in to your MyTax.DC.gov account and make the payment there.

Other ways to pay: Mail a check or money order payable to the DC Treasurer with your D-40ES voucher, using the address printed on the voucher, and write your taxpayer ID, D-40ES, and the tax year on it. Card payments carry a processor fee of about 2.25% to 2.5%. ACH credit is also available. Foreign bank accounts are not accepted.

Washington D.C. will not fill these payments in for you. Your preparer has to enter each estimated payment on your Washington D.C. return. Keep your own record of the date, amount, and confirmation number.

Extension payments

File Form FR-127 by April 15 for a six-month extension to file. If you expect a balance due, you must pay it with the extension request. If you expect no balance due and have paid your estimated tax through withholding or estimates, you do not need to file FR-127. Interest applies to any tax not paid on time.

Make this year's first estimated payment as a separate transaction, marked as an estimate for the current year.

Good to know

If any payment due for a period exceeds $5,000, you must pay electronically.
OTR no longer mails the D-40ES booklet; download vouchers from otr.cfo.dc.gov or MyTax.DC.gov.
Unincorporated businesses, including sole proprietorships, with more than $12,000 of gross income also owe DC's unincorporated business franchise tax (Form D-30) at 8.25%, with separate D-30ES estimates when the expected liability exceeds $1,000.
A $65 fee applies if a check or electronic payment is returned.
Moved this year? You may owe estimates to both Washington D.C. and your other state for the part of the year you lived or earned income in each.
Paying the IRS too? Follow the federal walkthrough. Other states each have a guide of their own.

Official sources

Checked October 2026 against the DC Office of Tax and Revenue's own publications.

This guide is for general education and reflects rules as of October 2026. Tax law and agency websites change, and your situation may have details that change the answer. Please talk with your tax professional before acting on it.