Height of Buildings Act of 1910 - Washington Monument

No building in Washington DC is taller than the Washington Monument. Although there is no law requiring that all buildings in Washington DC stay below the height of the Washington Monument, the Height of Buildings Act of 1910 restricts all buildings to be no higher than the width of the adjacent street plus 20 feet. Therefore, a building on a street that is 130-feet wide could only be 150-feet tall.

To be taller than the Washington Monument without violating the act, a building would need to be on a street that is over 535 feet wide. However, there are a few buildings that are exempt from this law, such as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Old Post Office Building. Nevertheless, none of these buildings are taller than the Washington Monument.