Code of the District of Columbia

§ 22–2803. Carjacking.

*NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on June 9, 2024. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation, click this link: Permanent Version.*

(a)(1) A person commits the offense of carjacking if, by any means, that person knowingly by force or violence, whether against resistance or by sudden or stealthy seizure or snatching, or by putting in fear, or attempts to do so, shall take a motor vehicle from a person's immediate actual possession, or that person knowingly by force or violence, or by putting in fear, shall take a key to a motor vehicle from the immediate actual possession of another person, while that motor vehicle is within the line of sight of the person or the victim and close enough to the vehicle that the person taking the key to the motor vehicle can take immediate possession of it, with the purpose and effect of immediately taking the motor vehicle of another.

(2) A person convicted of carjacking shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 and be imprisoned for a mandatory-minimum term of not less than 7 years and a maximum term of not more than 21 years, or both.

(b)(1) A person commits the offense of armed carjacking if that person, while armed with or having readily available any pistol or other firearm (or imitation thereof ) or other dangerous or deadly weapon (including a sawed-off shotgun, shotgun, machine gun, rifle, dirk, bowie knife, butcher knife, switch-blade knife, razor, blackjack, billy, or metallic or other false knuckles), commits or attempts to commit the offense of carjacking.

(2) A person convicted of armed carjacking shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 and be imprisoned for a mandatory-minimum term of not less than 15 years and a maximum term of not more than 40 years, or both. However, the court may impose a prison sentence in excess of 30 years only in accordance with § 24-403.01(b-2). For purposes of imprisonment following revocation of release authorized by § 24-403.01(b)(7), armed carjacking is a Class A felony.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person convicted of carjacking shall not be released from prison prior to the expiration of 7 years from the date of the commencement of the sentence, and a person convicted of armed carjacking shall not be released from prison prior to the expiration of 15 years from the date of the commencement of the sentence.