Washington DC has no state government, so there is no state Secretary of State to file with. Company records live with the Corporations Division, also called the Office of the Corporate Registrar, inside the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP). The Superintendent of Corporations runs it from the DLCP office on 4th Street SW.
The main thing to know is the system change. The old CorpOnline service has been replaced by BOSS at boss.dc.gov, where you can file every corporate registration document online at any hour. The second thing is timing: DC reports are biennial, so your company files once every two years.
Looking up a DC business record
The public record search sits on the DLCP corporations site. DLCP has moved filing into BOSS, so if the old search link sends you there, use the lookup inside BOSS instead.
| Official business search | corponline.dlcp.dc.gov (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
|---|
DC also publishes its corporate registration list on the District's open data hub. It refreshes every morning and includes each entity's status, registration date and registered agent. Treat it as a quick snapshot, not a certified record. For anything a bank or court will rely on, order a certificate.
DLCP filing fees
Forming a DC LLC costs $99, the same as a business corporation with authorized capital up to $100,000. Corporations with more authorized capital pay a higher fee, set in bands, so check the fee page if your shares carry a large total value. A nonprofit corporation pays $80.
| Form an LLC | $99 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $99 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $80 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $220 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $50 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Annual or biennial report | LLC: $300; corporation: $300; nonprofit: $80 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $50 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in District of Columbia. State fees are separate.
DLCP does not list an expedite service on its fee pages. Plan your filing date around that.
The DC biennial report
Every LLC and corporation on the DC register files a report every second year. The fee is $300 for for-profit entities and $80 for nonprofits. If you file after April 1 of your report year, DLCP adds a late fee of $100 for a for-profit company or $50 for a nonprofit.
| Fee | LLC: $300; corporation: $300; nonprofit: $80 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| When it is due | Due every two years; late if filed after April 1 of the year due (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| If you file late | for profit: $100; nonprofit: $50 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file | boss.dc.gov (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
Your next report year shows on your record. The steps are much the same as in other places, and our guide on filing an annual report walks through them.
Choosing and holding a name in DC
An LLC name needs a designator such as "limited liability company", "LLC" or "L.C.". Professional LLCs use PLLC or the spelled out form. Your name has to be distinguishable from other filing entities, reserved names and assumed names on the District's records. Endings like Inc. or LLC do not count as a difference.
| LLC name must include | limited liability company, limited company, L.L.C., LLC, L.C., LC, PLLC (professional LLC: professional limited liability company, P.L.L.C. or PLLC) (code.dccouncil.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Corporation name must include | corporation, incorporated, company, limited, Corp., Inc., Co., Ltd. (code.dccouncil.gov, checked ) |
| Words that are limited | bank, banking, credit union, insurance, words of similar import (need prior approval of the Mayor) (code.dccouncil.gov, checked ) |
| How different a name must be | Name must be distinguishable on the records of the Mayor from other domestic filing entities, reserved names and assumed names. Entity type designators (Inc., Corp., LLC and similar) are ignored when comparing names. (code.dccouncil.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation fee | $50 (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation lasts | 120 days (code.dccouncil.gov, checked ) |
Words such as bank, banking, credit union and insurance need approval before you can use them. A name also cannot sit so close to a federal or DC agency name that it misleads people. If the name is free, a 120 day reservation in BOSS holds it while you prepare the formation papers.
Certificate of good standing in the District
DLCP issues proof of standing under two names, a certificate of good standing or a status certificate. Either one is requested in BOSS for $50.
What it costs, where to order it and what blocks it are in our District of Columbia good standing guide.
Lenders and other states often ask for this certificate when your company registers elsewhere. Our page on the certificate of good standing explains what it proves.
Trade names in DC
Any business that trades under a name other than its legal name registers that trade name with the Superintendent of Corporations. This applies to registered entities and to unregistered sole traders alike. The trade name fee was not shown on the fee pages, so confirm it in BOSS before you file.
Reaching the DC Corporations Division
| Office | Corporations Division, Office of the Corporate Registrar (Superintendent of Corporations) (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Business and Professional Licensing Administration (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Officeholder | Tiffany Crowe (dlcp.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | (202) 671-4500 (opendata.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Hours | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; Thursday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm (opendata.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Mailing address | 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024 (opendata.dc.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024 (opendata.dc.gov, checked ) |
The office keeps short hours on Thursday mornings, so call later in the day if you can. Have your DC file number to hand, since it is the quickest way for staff to find your record.
Sources
- dlcp.dc.gov/node/1614386: office name, division, business search, online filing. Checked .
- dlcp.dc.gov/about-dlcp: officeholder. Checked .
- opendata.dc.gov/api/v3/datasets/5238c4fd99c843a1bd7679a243747a8c_0: mailing address, street address, phone, contact page, hours. Checked .
- code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/29-103.02: LLC name endings, corporation name endings. Checked .
- code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/29-103.01: restricted words, name rule. Checked .
- dlcp.dc.gov/node/1621921: name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, foreign LLC fee, certificate fee. Checked .
- code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/29-103.03: name reservation term. Checked .
- dlcp.dc.gov/page/corporations-division-fees-business-corporation: corporation filing fee. Checked .
- dlcp.dc.gov/page/corporations-division-fees-nonprofit-corporation: nonprofit filing fee. Checked .
- dlcp.dc.gov/page/dlcp-license-corporate-filing-fees: report fee, report due date, late penalty. Checked .