The Basic Business License Application – Washington, DC is the form the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) uses to license a business with the District of Columbia. It is one of the forms involved in getting a DC business license, and it comes after the corporate registration, occupancy and tax registration steps printed at the top of the form. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form itself is published by DLCP, and it is taken with payment to the DLCP Business License Center.
Last updated
What is Basic Business License Application – Washington, DC?
The Basic Business License Application is the District of Columbia form, issued by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), that a business owner completes to apply for a Basic Business License with the District.
The form is a two-page document built around six numbered steps. Steps 1 to 3 send you to other registrations first: your Corporate Registration and Employer ID Number, your Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupancy Permit (both at business.dc.gov/startbusiness) and your New Business Tax Registration (MyTax.dc.gov). Step 4 is the signature block with the Clean Hands Statement. Step 5 asks you to complete Sections A to D: license type, applicant, addresses and point of contact. Step 6 explains how to submit the application and pay.
Under the Clean Hands Statement, the District government will not issue or reissue any license or permit if the applicant owes more than the debt limit stated on the form to the District of Columbia. By signing, the applicant also confirms that false statements can be prosecuted and fined under D.C. Official Code 22-2405.
The form is not the application for an employee-independent salesperson: the Emp.-Ind. Salesperson option in Section A says to use the ID Application instead.
Who needs to file Basic Business License Application – Washington, DC?
Anyone applying for a Basic Business License with the District of Columbia completes this form: the owner or entity that will hold the license, identified in Section B as a sole proprietor, partnership, limited liability company, for-profit corporation, non-profit corporation or trust.
Conditions printed on the form:
- A sole proprietor with no trade name can skip Step 1, the Corporate Registration and Employer ID Number.
- Section C asks whether the business is not in DC, in your home or not in your home. A home business gives its Home Occupancy Permit number and date issued; a business that is not in your home gives its Certificate of Occupancy number and date issued.
- Every business must name an Agent in Section D who can receive legal documents. The Agent must be a DC resident, and you may serve as your own Agent.
- The applicant signs the Clean Hands Statement and prints a name and a Federal EIN or SSN.
Do not use this form for an Emp.-Ind. Salesperson: the form directs those applicants to the ID Application. The form prints no rule for signing on someone else's behalf.
When to file Basic Business License Application – Washington, DC
Submit the Basic Business License Application when you are ready to license the business, after you have finished Steps 1 to 3 printed on the form: the Corporate Registration and Employer ID Number (unless you are a sole proprietor with no trade name), the Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupancy Permit, and the New Business Tax Registration. The form prints no separate due date.
The application is taken to the DLCP Business License Center in person. Plan your visit around its hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30am - 4:00pm; Thursday, 9:30am - 4:00pm. DLCP does not issue or reissue a license to an applicant who owes more than the debt limit stated in the Clean Hands Statement, so settle any such debt with the District before you apply.
Documents you need
- Corporate Registration and Employer ID Number (Step 1 of the form, business.dc.gov/startbusiness); a sole proprietor with no trade name can skip this step.
- Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupancy Permit (Step 2); Section C asks for its number and date issued, depending on whether the business is in your home.
- New Business Tax Registration (Step 3, MyTax.dc.gov), obtained before you submit the application.
- Payment by cash, check, credit card or money order payable to DC Treasurer, brought to the DLCP Business License Center with the form.
How to fill out Basic Business License Application – Washington, DC
Finish Steps 1 to 3 first
Get your Corporate Registration and Employer ID Number (skip it if you are a sole proprietor with no trade name), your Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupancy Permit, and your New Business Tax Registration. The form points to business.dc.gov/startbusiness and MyTax.dc.gov.
Select the license type
In Section A, check the license type that fits: for example Beauty & Grooming, Food Services, Lodging, General Business or Other, where you write the type. Use the # of Seats/Units and Regulated Business lines where they apply.
Identify the applicant
In Section B, check Sole Proprietor, Partnership, Limited Liability Co., Corporation (For-Profit), Corporation (Non-Profit) or Trust. Enter the Owner or Entity Name and, if applicable, the Registered Trade Name of Business.
Describe where the business is
In Section C, check Not in DC, In my home or Not in my home. Enter the Home Occupancy Permit # or Certificate of Occupancy # with its Date Issued, then the physical Address, City, State, ZIP, Phone and Email.
Enter the billing address
Check the box if your billing address is the same as your business location. If not, fill in the Billing Address, City, State, ZIP, Phone and Email.
Name your Agent
In Section D, enter the Agent's Name, Address (Washington, DC), ZIP, Phone and Email. The Agent receives legal documents for the business, must be a DC resident, and may be you.
Complete the Clean Hands Statement
In Step 4, check the box stating that you do not owe the District the debt amount printed in the statement. Read the notice on false statements under D.C. Official Code 22-2405 before you sign.
Sign and print your details
In the Step 4 block, sign, enter the date, print your name and enter your Federal EIN or SSN.
Review, download and bring the form
Check every section against your registrations, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Take it with payment to the DLCP Business License Center as described under How to submit.
How to submit Basic Business License Application – Washington, DC
You submit the Basic Business License Application in person at the DLCP Business License Center; the form also points to mybusiness.dc.gov for completing it online.
- In person: Bring the signed form and payment to DLCP, 1100 4th Street, SW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20024. Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30am - 4:00pm; Thursday, 9:30am - 4:00pm.
- Payment: The form lists cash, check, credit card or money order, payable to DC Treasurer. A DLCP Business Center representative calculates the final amount you owe during your visit; no amount is printed on the form, so ask DLCP.
- Online: Next to Step 5 the form says you can complete it online at mybusiness.dc.gov.
- Help: The DLCP helpline is 202.671.4500, and the form lists the same number for help in languages other than English. More information is at dlcp.dc.gov.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the DLCP channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Skipping Steps 1 to 3 (corporate registration and Employer ID Number, Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupancy Permit, New Business Tax Registration) before going to DLCP.
- Leaving the Clean Hands Statement box unchecked, or checking it while owing the District more than the debt limit stated in the statement.
- Naming an Agent in Section D who does not live in DC; the Agent must be a DC resident.
- Submitting the form unsigned or undated, or without the printed name and Federal EIN or SSN in the Step 4 block.
- Using this form for an Emp.-Ind. Salesperson, when Section A directs those applicants to the ID Application.
- Entering the wrong permit data in Section C: a Home Occupancy Permit for a business that is not in your home, or a Certificate of Occupancy for one that is.
- Leaving the billing address blank when it differs from the business location; check the same-address box only if the two are the same.
- Making a payment out to anyone other than DC Treasurer, or arriving outside the posted hours, including Thursday before 9:30am.
- Giving false or misleading information, which can lead to prosecution under D.C. Official Code 22-2405 and to revocation of each license and permit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a DC business license with this form?
Complete Steps 1 to 3 on the Basic Business License Application (corporate registration and Employer ID Number, Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupancy Permit, and New Business Tax Registration), fill in Sections A to D, sign, and take the form with payment to the DLCP Business License Center.
Where do I submit the Basic Business License Application?
In person at the DLCP Business License Center, 1100 4th Street, SW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20024. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30am - 4:00pm, and Thursday, 9:30am - 4:00pm. The form names no mailing address.
Can I complete the DC Basic Business License Application online?
The form says you can complete it online at mybusiness.dc.gov. You can also fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it; FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the form to DLCP.
What is the Clean Hands Statement on the business license form?
It is a statement in Step 4 that the District will not issue or reissue a license or permit if you owe the District more than the debt limit printed on the form. You check a box saying you do not owe that amount, then sign.
How do I pay for a DC Basic Business License?
Pay at the DLCP Business License Center by cash, check, credit card or money order, payable to DC Treasurer. A DLCP representative calculates the final amount during your visit; the form prints no amount, so contact DLCP at 202.671.4500 for it.
Who can be the Agent on the business license application?
Any person who can receive legal documents for the business, as long as they are a DC resident. Section D also says you may serve as your own Agent. Every business must name one.
Do I need a corporate registration before I apply?
The form lists it as Step 1, with a business.dc.gov/startbusiness link. If you are a sole proprietor with no trade name, you can skip that step. Steps 2 and 3, occupancy and tax registration, are listed for everyone.
Is there help in other languages for this form?
The form prints the DLCP number 202-671-4500 for help in Amharic, Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. The form itself is printed in English, and the helpline is also listed as 202.671.4500.
Ready to fill out Basic Business License Application – Washington, DC?
Fill out Basic Business License Application – Washington, DC now