The BBL Affidavit is the sworn statement that the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) publishes for applicants for a Basic Business License (BBL) endorsement. It is one of the documents tied to a DC business license: the applicant names the business activity, certifies criminal history for the past ten years, lists residences and employment for the same period, and signs before a notary public. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published by DLCP at dlcp.dc.gov.
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What is BBL Affidavit – Washington, DC?
The BBL Affidavit is a one-page sworn statement, issued by the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), in which an applicant for a Basic Business License endorsement certifies a ten-year criminal history and gives ten years of residence and employment history.
The printed text opens with "The undersigned applicant for a Basic Business License endorsement" and a blank for the business activity. The applicant then certifies that he or she has never been convicted of a criminal offense anywhere in the United States during the past ten (10) years, except for the offenses listed in a table. That table has four columns: Charge, Place of Offense - City/State, Date and Disposition.
Two more tables follow: Places and dates of residence in the last ten (10) years and Places and dates of employment in the last ten (10) years. Each has a Date column and a Residence or Employment column.
The applicant signs, and a notary public completes the block stating that the information is subscribed and sworn, with the day, month and year, the notary's name and the date the notary's commission expires. The form refers to information "above and on the reverse side." DLCP prints its helpline, 202.671.4500, and its website, dlcp.dc.gov, on the form.
The affidavit is not a license. It is a supporting statement tied to the BBL endorsement the applicant is seeking.
Who needs to file BBL Affidavit – Washington, DC?
The applicant for a Basic Business License endorsement in Washington, DC completes the BBL Affidavit. The form is written in the first person for the "undersigned applicant": the same person names the business activity, answers the criminal history certification, lists residences and employment, and signs.
Each part of the form applies to the applicant:
- Criminal history. List an offense only if you were convicted of it anywhere in the United States during the past ten (10) years; the form is not limited to offenses in the District.
- Residence and employment. Everyone completing the form gives places and dates of residence and of employment for the last ten (10) years.
- Notary. The sworn statement is completed by a notary public, so the applicant needs access to one.
The form prints nothing about a representative signing for the applicant, and it sets no exceptions to the ten-year period. For questions about whether a particular business activity needs a BBL endorsement, DLCP lists its helpline at 202.671.4500.
When to file BBL Affidavit – Washington, DC
The BBL Affidavit is completed when you apply for a Basic Business License endorsement, because the form is a certification by "the undersigned applicant for a Basic Business License endorsement." No separate due date is printed on it.
The look-back period for the criminal history, residence and employment sections is the past ten (10) years, so gather those dates before you begin. The notary section carries the date the statement is sworn, so the form is dated when the notary completes it, not when you start filling it out. For timing questions about the application itself, DLCP's helpline is 202.671.4500.
How to fill out BBL Affidavit – Washington, DC
Enter the business activity
At the top, in the blank under "Business activity" after "The undersigned applicant for a Basic Business License endorsement," write the business activity you are applying for.
Review the criminal history certification
Read the statement that you have never been convicted of a criminal offense anywhere in the United States during the past ten (10) years, except for the offenses listed.
List any offenses in the table
If you have a conviction in the past ten years, enter the Charge, the Place of Offense - City/State, the Date and the Disposition on each row.
List your residences
Under "Places and dates of residence in the last ten (10) years," enter each date or period in the Date column and the matching address in the Residence column.
List your employment
Under "Places and dates of employment in the last ten (10) years," enter each date or period in the Date column and the matching employer in the Employment column.
Sign the affidavit
Sign on the Signature line. The notary public completes the sworn block, including the day, month and year, the notary's name and the commission expiration date.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that every section covers the full ten years and that the business activity is filled in, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Take it to a notary public and follow DLCP's instructions for delivery.
How to submit BBL Affidavit – Washington, DC
The form names no mailing address, portal or office for returning the affidavit. It prints only DLCP's helpline, 202.671.4500, and its website, dlcp.dc.gov, so confirm the current way to deliver it with the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) before you send it.
Before you deliver it, make sure the form is complete: the business activity, any listed offenses, ten years of residences and employment, your signature, and the notary public's completed block with the day, month, year and commission expiration. The form also mentions information "on the reverse side," so check whether your printed copy has a second side. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels DLCP gives you.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Listing only offenses committed in the District of Columbia; the certification covers any criminal offense anywhere in the United States during the past ten (10) years.
- Leaving out a column of the offense table, such as the place of offense or the disposition, for an offense you list.
- Giving residences or employment for fewer than the last ten (10) years.
- Leaving the business activity line at the top blank, so the affidavit does not say which endorsement it supports.
- Submitting the affidavit without your signature in the Signature line.
- Sending the form without the notary public's block completed: the day, month and year, the notary's name and the commission expiration date.
- Ignoring the reverse side, which the form says holds part of the sworn information.
Frequently asked questions
What is the BBL Affidavit?
The BBL Affidavit is a DLCP form in which an applicant for a Basic Business License endorsement certifies criminal history for the past ten years and lists ten years of residences and employment. It is sworn before a notary public and signed by the applicant.
Is the BBL Affidavit the same as a DC business license?
No. The affidavit is a supporting statement by the applicant for a Basic Business License endorsement; it does not grant a DC business license. DLCP, which issues the form, lists its helpline at 202.671.4500 for questions about the license itself.
Does the BBL Affidavit have to be notarized?
The form includes a notary block stating that the information is subscribed and sworn, with the day, month, year, the notary public's name and the commission expiration date. Complete the form so the notary can fill in that block.
How far back does the BBL Affidavit go?
Ten years. The certification covers convictions anywhere in the United States during the past ten (10) years, and the residence and employment tables ask for the last ten (10) years.
What do I list in the criminal offense table?
List any criminal offense of which you were convicted anywhere in the United States during the past ten years. For each, enter the charge, the place of offense (city and state), the date and the disposition.
Where do I send the BBL Affidavit?
The form does not print a delivery address or portal. It lists the DLCP helpline, 202.671.4500, and dlcp.dc.gov, so confirm the current way to deliver it with the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.
Can I fill out the BBL Affidavit online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, is not affiliated with DLCP and does not file or notarize the form; you take it to a notary public and deliver it through DLCP's channels.
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