To form an LLC in the District of Columbia, you file the DC articles of organization (Form DLC-1) with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, pay a $99 fee, and wait roughly five business days for approval. The fastest way is online through the CorpOnline portal; mail filings go to the Corporations Division. Once the certificate of organization comes back, your LLC legally exists as an entity separate from you.1Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Articles of Organization for Domestic Limited Liability Company
What You Have to Put on the Form
D.C. Code § 29-802.01 sets the required contents. Have this information ready before you start the online filing, because missing or inconsistent entries trigger a deficiency notice and you’ll have to correct and resubmit.2D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 29-802.01 – Formation of Limited Liability Company; Certificate of Organization
- The LLC’s name, including a required designator and distinguishable from names already on file.
- Street and mailing addresses of the initial principal office.
- The name and DC street address of your registered agent (commercial or noncommercial).
- Name, address, and signature of each organizer.
- Effective date, which defaults to the filing date unless you pick a future date up to 90 days out.
- A purpose statement. A general-purpose statement is acceptable under District law.
If any series within your LLC will be treated as a separate entity, the filing has to say so.
One thing the form does not ask for: an operating agreement. The District doesn’t require you to file one, but you’ll want to have one in place privately (more on that below).
Picking a Name That Will Clear
Your LLC name must end with one of these designators: “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Company,” “L.L.C.,” “LLC,” “L.C.,” or “LC.” You can abbreviate “Limited” as “Ltd.” and “Company” as “Co.” Professional LLCs use “Professional Limited Liability Company,” “P.L.L.C.,” or “PLLC” instead.3D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 29-103.02 – Name Requirements for Certain Types of Entities
Before filing, run your proposed name through the CorpOnline database to confirm it isn’t already taken. If you’re not ready to file yet, you can reserve a name for up to 120 days. A reservation holds the name against other filers but doesn’t guarantee approval when you submit your articles.
The Registered Agent Requirement
Every DC LLC must designate a registered agent who can accept legal documents and government notices on the company’s behalf. You can use a commercial registered agent (a company already registered with the District to provide the service) or a noncommercial agent such as a member, an employee, or any willing individual.4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code Subchapter IV – Registered Agent
Either way, the address you list has to be a physical street address inside the District. A P.O. box doesn’t satisfy the rule because process servers need somewhere to hand-deliver papers. Noncommercial agents are responsible for keeping their address current with the DLCP. Commercial registered agent services generally charge between $49 and $125 a year, which can be worth it if no member keeps a physical office in DC.
How to File and What It Costs
Online filing goes through corponline.dlcp.dc.gov. Create an Access DC account, select “Create or Register Entity,” choose “Domestic,” then “Limited Liability Company.” Fill in the required fields, pay, and submit.5Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Corporations Division Business Registration FAQs
The filing fee for a domestic LLC is $99.6Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Corporations Division Fees – Limited Liability Company Standard online processing runs about five business days. If you need it faster, two expedited tiers are available on top of the filing fee:
- Three-day processing: an extra $50.
- Same-day processing: an extra $100, completed by the end of the next business day.
Expedited service covers certain online filings and walk-in filings at the DLCP Business License Center, 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor.7Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Fees for Corporate Registration Services To file by mail, send the completed Form DLC-1 and payment to the Corporations Division at P.O. Box 92300, Washington, DC 20090. Expedited processing may be limited or unavailable for mailed filings.
Pay attention to one detail before you submit: the District doesn’t refund fees just because you changed your mind. Refunds are available for duplicate or erroneous payments, not for voluntary withdrawals after filing.
What to Do After Your Articles Are Approved
Approval gives you the certificate of organization, but a few more steps usually stand between you and actually operating.
Get an EIN from the IRS
Apply for an Employer Identification Number through the IRS online portal. It’s free and takes a few minutes. Don’t pay a third-party site for this.8Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number You’ll need your LLC’s legal name exactly as it appears on the certificate, plus the Social Security number or ITIN of the “responsible party.” The session times out after 15 minutes of inactivity, and the IRS allows only one EIN application per responsible party per day.
By default, a single-member LLC is a “disregarded entity” for federal income tax and a multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership. Either can elect corporate taxation by filing Form 8832, with an effective date no more than 75 days before filing or 12 months after; S-corporation treatment uses Form 2553 instead.9Internal Revenue Service. Limited Liability Company (LLC) These elections have real tax consequences, so talk to a tax professional before choosing.
Put an Operating Agreement in Place
Even though DC doesn’t require you to file one, D.C. Code § 29-801.07 makes the operating agreement the document that governs relationships among members, manager duties, how the company runs, and how the agreement itself gets amended.10D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 29-801.07 – Operating Agreement; Scope, Function, and Limitations Anything your agreement doesn’t address falls back on the default rules in D.C. Code Title 29, and those defaults, covering things like profit distribution, voting, and what happens when a member leaves, may not match what you and your co-members actually want. Writing the agreement early is cheaper than untangling disputes later.
Check Whether You Need a Basic Business License
Depending on what your LLC does, you may need a Basic Business License (BBL) before you start operating. Whether a BBL applies depends on your specific business activity, not on the fact that you formed an LLC. The DLCP keeps an online directory of business categories you can search.11Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Business Licensing FAQs BBL fees range from $49 for a six-month license to $198 for a four-year license. Your LLC has to be registered and in good standing with the Corporations Division before you can get a BBL.
Open a Business Bank Account
Banks typically ask for your EIN, a copy of your certificate of organization, and your operating agreement; some will also want to see a business license or ownership agreements.12U.S. Small Business Administration. Open a Business Bank Account Keep LLC money separate from personal money. Commingling funds is one of the ways courts justify “piercing the veil” and holding members personally liable for the company’s debts.
Staying in Good Standing
Filing your articles creates the LLC, but keeping it alive takes a biennial report (Form BRA-25). The first one is due by April 1 of the year after you form the LLC, then every two years by the same April 1 deadline.13D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 29-102.11 – Biennial Report for Mayor Form an LLC in 2026 and your first report is due April 1, 2027. The report updates ownership, management, and contact information, and asks about any foreign entity your LLC holds an interest in, including anyone with more than 10% ownership or anyone who controls its financial or operational decisions.
You file through the same CorpOnline portal, and the current fee is listed on the DLCP corporate fee schedule. Missing the deadline by more than five months can lead to administrative dissolution, so put April 1 on the calendar now.