District of Columbia No Chase Law
Restrictive statute
Does District of Columbia have a no-chase law? Yes — District of Columbia is one of the few jurisdictions that restricts police pursuits by statewide law.
What governs pursuits in District of Columbia
D.C. Code § 5-365.02 (Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022, as amended by D.C. Law 25-175, June 2024 "Secure DC")
DC is the most restrictive jurisdiction reviewed: since 2022, MPD officers generally may not pursue a fleeing vehicle unless they reasonably believe the suspect committed a crime of violence or poses an immediate serious threat, the pursuit won't likely cause death/serious injury, and all other options are exhausted. The 2024 Secure DC Act (D.C. Law 25-175) loosened this somewhat, adding exceptions (including when the chase itself protects the fleeing suspect's life) and classifying tactics like boxing-in, roadblocks, and tire deflation as serious force and ramming as deadly force. A federal bill (H.R. 5143, District of Columbia Policing Protection Act) that would flip DC's default to favor pursuit passed the House in September 2025 but has not passed the Senate or been signed into law as of this research.
Will police chase a motorcycle in District of Columbia?
No DC law or MPD order singles out motorcycles for no-chase treatment; the same crime-of-violence/imminent-threat/no-other-options standard in D.C. Code §5-365.02 applies to pursuing any vehicle, motorcycle included.
No US state has a literal law forbidding officers from chasing motorcycles. What riders call a "no-chase law" is nearly always a department policy that tells officers to break off a pursuit when the danger to the public outweighs the arrest — and fleeing remains a crime in District of Columbia regardless. See the state-by-state motorcycle guide for how this works everywhere.
Sources
- code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/5-365.02
- dcjusticelab.org/car-chases/
- congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5143
- jgllaw.com/articles/house-passes-bill-changing-rules-for-dc-car-chases-creating-
Verified as of August 2026. Department policies can change without notice — check the agency's published policy for current break-off criteria.