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Washington DC has no state, so the city's Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) does the work a state office would. It issues the Basic Business License, usually shortened to BBL, and it also runs the Corporations Division that registers LLCs. The two are different filings. See our Washington DC LLC guide for the entity side.
What does a DC general business license cost?
DLCP publishes the general business license fee by term length. Its fee summary lists:
- Six months: $49
- Two years: $99
- Four years: $198
Renewals cost the same as the original fee. These are the general business figures. Other license categories, such as vending, short term rental or rental housing, have their own fees on the same page. The rental housing fees are assessed per unit per year, on top of the license fee.
What comes first, the LLC or the license?
The LLC. DLCP says entity registration comes before any license or tax registration. The Corporations Division takes filings online and the page we read names BOSS as the system. DLCP also noted it was launching BOSS, a new system for business registration and licensing, and warned of possible service interruptions during the move. If a link behaves oddly, check the DLCP hub for the current portal.
After the LLC exists, get an EIN. Our EIN guide explains the process, and the state tax ID lookup page explains the numbers you will meet.
How do I renew, and what if I am late?
DLCP's renewal overview says you can renew online in My DC Business Center up to ninety days before the expiration date. It emails reminders to the account address at 90, 60, 30 and 7 days before expiry. Under DLCP's current format, a license runs from the date of issue to the last day of the same month, two or four years on, so your expiry date is a month end. For example, a license issued on a date in March would run to the last day of March, two or four years later.
Late renewals cost more as time passes. DLCP lists a first penalty of $75 and a second penalty of $75, then a $200 enforcement penalty. Renew early to avoid all three.
If you originally got your license through My DC Business Center, the renewal link sits in the My BBLs list. If someone else set it up, you first add the license record to your own account using the BBL number and the last four digits of the tax number. Plan a little extra time for that.
What if I close or stop?
If you no longer carry out the activity the license covers, DLCP says to notify it with a BBL Cancellation Request Form. Do not wait for the license to lapse.
How do I check a DC license?
DLCP's menu includes Verify a Business License, Verify an Occupational and Professional License, and Search Registered Businesses. Our business license lookup guide explains which to use. The Corporations Division also files a biennial report for the entity, with its own due date, which is not part of the license.
Neighbours differ: see Maryland and Virginia.
This page does not cover professional licenses, inspections, zoning, or DC tax registration.