How to Claim Washington DC (DC)
Lottery Prizes
Claim a DC Lottery prize $600 or less at any retailer, a Retailer Plus or the DC Lottery Prize Center in Washington, over $600 to $5,000 at a Retailer Plus or the DC Lottery Prize Center in Washington and over $5,000 at the DC Lottery Prize Center in Washington, within 180 days of the drawing. Any prize can be claimed by mail.
Where to Claim Your DC Lottery Prize
Won? You have 180 days to cash it in.
Where to Cash a Winning Ticket
Where you can cash a DC Lottery prize depends on how much it is.
- Up to $600Signed ticket at a store
- Any lottery retailer
- Any Retailer Plus
- DC Lottery Prize Center
- By mail
- $601–$5KClaim form and ID
- Any Retailer Plus
- DC Lottery Prize Center
- By mail
- Over $5KClaim form and ID
- DC Lottery Prize Center
- By mail
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Play scratch-offs too?Up to x63.8 better jackpot odds
For $50K to $1M+ jackpots on the best Washington DC scratch-offs. ScratchOdds ranks all 73 by today's odds.
For $50K to $1M+ jackpots on the best Washington DC scratch-offs.
Get the Free AppSee the Best Ones
Good to Know
Claim deadline
180 days after the drawing
Take a jackpot's cash option within 60 days of claiming the prize.
When you're paid
DC Lottery retailers pay prizes up to $600, and Retailer Plus locations up to $5,000, when you claim.
Claim by mail
Any prize
DC Lottery Prize Center, 2235 Shannon Place, SE, Washington, D.C. 20020
Taxes on winnings
24% federal withheld over $5,000
State tax up to 10.75%; 10.75% withheld over $5,000. See your take-home
Can you stay anonymous?
Not by law
In the District of Columbia, a winner's name, city, county and state of residence, prize and game are public record, so no winner can stay anonymous.
DC Lottery Claim Forms
Over $600, bring your signed ticket, ID and a completed claim form.
Full checklist (5 items)
- The original winning ticket, signed on the back
- For a prize over $600, an original, unexpired government-issued photo ID: a driver's license, state-issued ID or passport
- For a prize over $600, your original Social Security card, with your name exactly as on your photo ID
- For a prize over $600, a completed Office of Lottery and Gaming claim form
- By mail, for any prize: the back of the ticket filled in, a completed claim form, and copies of your photo ID and Social Security card
DC Lottery Prize Center
Bring your ticket, claim form and ID.
DC Lottery Prize Center
2235 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–4:30 PMPhone: 202-645-8000
More Claim Rules
- Tickets bought in DC
- Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Millionaire for Life and Powerball Xs & Os prizes must be claimed where the ticket was bought, so a DC ticket is claimed with the DC Lottery.
- Your name is public
- In the District of Columbia, a winner's name, city, county and state of residence, prize and game are public record, so no winner can stay anonymous. The DC Lottery doesn't release a winner's street address or phone number.
- Winner photos
- Winners claiming a prize of $25,000 or more must have their photograph taken to complete the claim.
- Debts owed to the District
- Before paying a prize, the DC Lottery may take out delinquent child support owed under a court order, and other money owed to the District. Child support taken from a prize isn't refunded.
- One winner per ticket
- A prize won on one DC Lottery ticket is paid to one person or one organization. A group without a federal employer identification number names one member in writing to receive the prize.
- Sign your ticket
- Until a ticket is signed, anyone holding it can claim its prize, and the DC Lottery isn't responsible for lost or stolen tickets, so sign the back in ink.
- Claiming by mail
- Mailed claims must be postmarked within 180 days of the drawing. The DC Lottery isn't responsible for tickets lost in the mail and recommends a trackable service. For a prize of $5,000 or more, call the Prize Center at 202-645-8000 first.
- Prizes won online
- Powerball and Mega Millions prizes of $4,999.99 or less won on DC iLottery go straight into your iLottery account. For $5,000 or more, make an appointment at the Prize Center by calling 202-645-8000, and bring your photo ID, Social Security card and the win's Voucher ID on paper.
- Cash or yearly payments
- Powerball, Mega Millions and Lotto America jackpot winners, and Millionaire for Life's top two prize winners, choose one cash payment or yearly payments when they claim or within 60 days of becoming entitled to the prize. A Lotto America jackpot is paid yearly if no choice is made.
- Estates
- If a Powerball jackpot winner dies before every yearly payment is made, the rest go to the winner's estate, which can ask the DC Lottery to pay them all at once at their current value.
Reviewed by Bishop Woosley, former Director of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and NASPL President.
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More DC Lottery Help
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Washington DC Scratchers
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about the DC Lottery
Where can I claim lottery winnings in Washington DC?
$600 or less: Any lottery retailer, any Retailer Plus, DC Lottery Prize Center or by mail. Over $600 to $5,000: Any Retailer Plus, DC Lottery Prize Center or by mail. Over $5,000: DC Lottery Prize Center or by mail.
Where can I cash a $1,000 lottery ticket in Washington DC?
Not at most stores: DC Lottery retailers pay prizes up to $600. Over $600 to $5,000: Any Retailer Plus, DC Lottery Prize Center or by mail.
What time can you cash lottery tickets in Washington DC?
Any DC Lottery retailer cashes prizes up to $600 whenever it's open. The DC Lottery Prize Center is open Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM.
What should I do if I win the DC Lottery?
Sign your ticket and keep it safe, then claim it within 180 days of the drawing. $600 or less: Any lottery retailer, any Retailer Plus, DC Lottery Prize Center or by mail. Over $600 to $5,000: Any Retailer Plus, DC Lottery Prize Center or by mail. Over $5,000: DC Lottery Prize Center or by mail. Over $600, bring your signed ticket, ID and a completed claim form.
How long do you have to claim a DC Lottery prize?
180 days after the drawing. A jackpot's cash option must be chosen within 60 days of claiming the prize.
Do DC Lottery tickets expire?
Yes. A winning ticket must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing, or the prize can no longer be paid.
What do I need to claim a DC Lottery prize?
At a store, a prize up to $600 needs just the signed ticket. Over $600: The original winning ticket, signed on the back; For a prize over $600, an original, unexpired government-issued photo ID: a driver's license, state-issued ID or passport; For a prize over $600, your original Social Security card, with your name exactly as on your photo ID; For a prize over $600, a completed Office of Lottery and Gaming claim form; By mail, for any prize: the back of the ticket filled in, a completed claim form, and copies of your photo ID and Social Security card.
Can I claim a DC Lottery prize by mail?
Yes, any prize. Mail the signed ticket, with any copies the DC Lottery asks for, to DC Lottery Prize Center, 2235 Shannon Place, SE, Washington, D.C. 20020. Prizes over $600 also need a completed claim form.
How long does it take to get DC Lottery winnings?
DC Lottery retailers pay prizes up to $600, and Retailer Plus locations up to $5,000, when you claim. The Prize Center pays by check, with a W-2G for $600 or more, and pays prizes of $250,000 or more by wire transfer to your bank.
Can you claim lottery winnings anonymously in Washington DC?
Not by law. In the District of Columbia, a winner's name, city, county and state of residence, prize and game are public record, so no winner can stay anonymous. The DC Lottery doesn't release a winner's street address or phone number.
Can I claim a DC Lottery prize online?
No. Claim in person or by mail.
What is the DC Lottery phone number?
202-645-8000 for customer service.
Where can I claim a DC Lottery prize in person?
The DC Lottery Prize Center is at 2235 Shannon Place SE, Washington, DC 20020, open Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. Call 202-645-8000.
Are lottery winnings taxed in Washington DC?
Washington DC taxes lottery winnings at up to 10.75%, and federal income tax applies too. 24% federal and 10.75% state tax are withheld from prizes over $5,000.
Still have questions? Email our support team
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