DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection — fees

Updated August 2026

Official Resource

District of Columbia Official SOS Website

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.

Office contact

Address: 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (202) 671-4500
Email: 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

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.

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.

Filing	Fee
LLC — Certificate of Organization (formation)	$99
LLC — Biennial Report	$300
LLC — Biennial Report Late Fee	$100
Business Corporation — Articles of Incorporation (up to $100,000 authorized capital)	$99
Foreign LLC / Business Corporation — Certificate of Registration (foreign qualification)	$220
Business Corporation — Articles of Incorporation ($100,001 – $500,000)	$550
Business Corporation — Biennial Report	$300
Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation	$80
Nonprofit Corporation — Biennial Report	$80
Nonprofit Corporation — Biennial Report Late Fee	$50
Name Reservation or Transfer (LLC / business corporation)	$50
Name Reservation or Transfer (nonprofit)	$40
Status Certificate (good standing) — LLC / for-profit corporation	$50
Status Certificate — nonprofit	$40
Same-day expedited service (add-on, all entity types)	+$100
3-day expedited service (add-on)	+$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.

Key DC licensing agencies

Agency	What it covers	Website
DLCP — Corporations Division (CorpOnline)	Entity registration — required before any other DC license (step 1)	corponline.dlcp.dc.gov
DLCP — Business Licensing Division	DC Basic Business License — required to operate in DC (step 2 after entity registration)	dlcp.dc.gov — Business Licensing
DLCP — Small Business Resource Center (SBRC)	Free one-on-one advising, workshops, and resources for DC business owners	dlcp.dc.gov — SBRC
DC Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR)	FR-500 combined business tax registration — sales and use tax, withholding tax, and other DC business tax accounts	otr.cfo.dc.gov
DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) — UI Tax Division	Unemployment insurance employer tax registration, required once a business has DC employees	does.dc.gov — UI Tax
DC Business Portal	Step-by-step checklists for starting specific business types (food, retail, nonprofit, contractor, etc.) and license verification	business.dc.gov

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.

This guide is informational only and is not affiliated with the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection or any agency listed above. Contact information and fees verified against official DLCP sources, August 2026. Verify current fees at the official state website. Last verified: August 2026.

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