DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection — fees
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
DC business entity registration falls under the DLCP Corporations Division — the DC equivalent of a Secretary of State's business filing office. The agency also handles business licenses, professional licensing, and consumer protection. New businesses register their entity with the Corporations Division first, then separately obtain a DC Basic Business License through the DLCP Business Licensing Division.
Open Official District of Columbia Department of Licensing & Consumer Protection Portal ↗Office contact
- Address
- 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
- Phone
- (202) 671-4500
- dlcp@dc.gov
- Office hours
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. / Thursday: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (walk-in closes 4:00 p.m. daily)
- Appointments
- dlcpdc.qmatic.io — Book an appointment
- CorpOnline portal
- corponline.dlcp.dc.gov
- DC Business Portal
- business.dc.gov
Entity formation and filing fees
Fees below are from the live DLCP fee pages, confirmed August 2026. Walk-in customers are automatically charged the same-day expedited fee ($100) on top of the base filing fee. Payments by check should be made to "DC Treasurer." Verify all current amounts at dlcp.dc.gov — License & Corporate Filing Fees before filing.
LLC — Certificate of Organization (formation)
- Fee
- $99
LLC — Biennial Report
- Fee
- $300
LLC — Biennial Report Late Fee
- Fee
- $100
Business Corporation — Articles of Incorporation (up to $100,000 authorized capital)
- Fee
- $99
Foreign LLC / Business Corporation — Certificate of Registration (foreign qualification)
- Fee
- $220
Business Corporation — Articles of Incorporation ($100,001 – $500,000)
- Fee
- $550
Business Corporation — Biennial Report
- Fee
- $300
Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee
- $80
Nonprofit Corporation — Biennial Report
- Fee
- $80
Nonprofit Corporation — Biennial Report Late Fee
- Fee
- $50
Name Reservation or Transfer (LLC / business corporation)
- Fee
- $50
Name Reservation or Transfer (nonprofit)
- Fee
- $40
Status Certificate (good standing) — LLC / for-profit corporation
- Fee
- $50
Status Certificate — nonprofit
- Fee
- $40
Same-day expedited service (add-on, all entity types)
- Fee
- +$100
3-day expedited service (add-on)
- Fee
- +$50
DC does not have an annual report system — all registered entities file biennial (every two years) reports. The first biennial report is due April 1 of the year following the year of registration; subsequent reports are due April 1 of every second year after that.
CorpOnline is being replaced by BOSS
DLCP is launching a new business registration and licensing system called BOSS (Business Online Services System) in August 2026, replacing the current CorpOnline platform. DLCP has warned of temporary service interruptions during the transition. Check the DLCP Hub for the latest status before relying on CorpOnline's continued availability.
UCC filing, notary, and apostille services
None of these run through DLCP — DC splits them across two other offices:
- UCC search and filing — filed with the Recorder of Deeds' chattel records (Office of Tax and Revenue), not DLCP.
- Notary public commissions — a $75 application fee through the Office of the Secretary's Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA); DC and federal government employees are exempt from the fee.
- Apostilles and authentications — also issued by ONCA, at $15 per document.
Source: DC Office of the Secretary, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (os.dc.gov); DC Office of Tax and Revenue Recorder of Deeds (otr.cfo.dc.gov).
Key DC licensing agencies
DLCP — Corporations Division (CorpOnline)
- What it covers
- Entity registration — required before any other DC license (step 1)
- Website
- corponline.dlcp.dc.gov
DLCP — Business Licensing Division
- What it covers
- DC Basic Business License — required to operate in DC (step 2 after entity registration)
- Website
- dlcp.dc.gov — Business Licensing
DLCP — Small Business Resource Center (SBRC)
- What it covers
- Free one-on-one advising, workshops, and resources for DC business owners
- Website
- dlcp.dc.gov — SBRC
DC Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR)
- What it covers
- FR-500 combined business tax registration — sales and use tax, withholding tax, and other DC business tax accounts
- Website
- otr.cfo.dc.gov
DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) — UI Tax Division
- What it covers
- Unemployment insurance employer tax registration, required once a business has DC employees
- Website
- does.dc.gov — UI Tax
DC Business Portal
- What it covers
- Step-by-step checklists for starting specific business types (food, retail, nonprofit, contractor, etc.) and license verification
- Website
- business.dc.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
What order do I need to follow to register a business in DC?
Entity registration with DLCP's Corporations Division has to come first — CorpOnline is step one. Only after that's complete can you apply for a business license, tax registration, or any other DC registration.
Does DC require businesses to file annual reports?
No, DC uses biennial reports instead, filed every two years. The fee is $300 for LLCs and for-profit corporations, or $80 for nonprofits, with the first report due April 1 of the year after registration and late fees of $100 or $50.
How much does it cost to form an LLC or incorporate a business in DC?
An LLC Certificate of Organization costs $99. Incorporating costs $99 for up to $100,000 in authorized capital, rising to $550 for $100,001–$500,000. Foreign entities pay $220 for a Certificate of Registration.