30 ©2018 WASHINGTON DC ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS REGISTRATION & LICENSING
Visit dcra.dc.gov to view the services that DCRA provides,
including:
• Registration forms and documents
• Answers to frequently asked questions
• Business name availability tool
• Registered organization search
• Corporate online formation services, report filings, name
reservation and trade name filings, status certificates, and
certified copy ordering, as well as dissolution, withdrawal,
and agent changes; online site for corporate filing is
corponline.dcra.dc.gov.
DCRA SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20024
(202) 442-8170 · business.dc.gov/sbrc
THE BUSINESS LICENSING PROCESS
STEP-BY-STEP
The following steps apply to all business license applicants:
1. Business Registration
2. Employer Identification Number (EIN)
3. DC Business Tax Identification Number
4. Certificate of Registration
5. Clean Hands Certificate
6. Certificate of Occupancy (CRA-5)
7. Basic Business License
8. Business Trade Name
STEP 1: BUSINESS REGISTRATION
If you will be operating as a sole proprietor, general
partnership, unincorporated nonprofit association, or
other special entity type type (ex, unincorporated condo
association), registration with the Corporations Division is
not required and you can skip to step 2.
If you would like to operate in the District of Columbia as a
nonprofit or for-profit corporation, limited liability company,
limited partnership, limited liability partnership, general
cooperative association, limited cooperative association,
or statutory trust, you must register with the Corporations
Division of DCRA that acts as Office of Corporate Registrar
for the District.
To register as a domestic company, you must file for articles
of incorporation (for-profit or nonprofit corporations
and cooperative associations), articles of organization
(for limited liability companies or business trusts), or a
statement of qualification for partnership (limited or limited
liability partnership).
To register as a foreign company (if your business is already
registered outside the District of Columbia), you must file
for a certificate of registration for all filing entities, including
for-profit and nonprofit corporations, limited liability
companies, general and limited cooperative associations,
statutory trusts, limited partnerships, and limited liability
partnerships. Corporate registration can be accomplished
online by using the CorpOnline site at corponline.dcra.dc.gov.
STEP 2: EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (EIN)
An EIN, also known as Tax Identification Number (TIN), is a
nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service.
The IRS uses the number to identify business taxpayers
who are required to file various tax returns. EINs are used
by employers, sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations,
nonprofit organizations, trusts, estates of decedents,
government agencies, certain individuals, and other
business entities.
Generally, you will need an EIN if you answer “yes” to any of
the following questions:
Do you have employees?
Do you operate your business as a corporation, LLC,
or partnership?
Do you file any of these tax returns: employment; excise;
or alcohol, tobacco, and firearms?
Do you withhold taxes on income, other than wages, paid
to a non-resident alien?
Do you have a Keogh plan (a tax-deferred pension account)?
Are you involved with any of the following: trusts
(except certain grantor-owned revocable trusts),
individual retirement accounts, exempt organization
business income tax returns, estates, real estate
mortgage investment conduits, nonprofit organizations,
cooperatives, or plan administrators?
/dcra.dc.gov
/corponline.dcra.dc.gov
/corponline.dcra.dc.gov
/sbrc