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DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Business and Professional Licensing Administration, Corporations Division (Office of the Superintendent of Corporations)

District of Columbia business entity search

Office facts, status meanings and filing rules for District of Columbia. The steps below show how to search District of Columbia's official registry.

Federal filings only here. District of Columbia registry records are on the official site.

District of Columbia registry at a glance

Registry agency
DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Business and Professional Licensing Administration, Corporations Division (Office of the Superintendent of Corporations)
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Phone
(202) 671-4500
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Official search
BOSS Global Search →
Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Registry number
Initial file number
Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06

How to search the District of Columbia registry

The BOSS Global Search searches by business name, initial file number, person name, address, license number and match type: contains, starts with, or exact match.

  1. Open BOSS at boss.dc.gov and choose Global Search under Resources.Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
  2. Pick a search type, such as Business Name, Initial File Number, or Person Name.Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
  3. Enter the search term and choose Contains, Starts With, or Exact Match.Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
  4. Select Search and open the entity from the results.Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
  5. Check the entity's status, registered agent, and biennial report history on its record.Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06

Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06

Open the official District of Columbia search →

Three numbers, three agencies

Asking for the wrong number is a common reason a search comes back empty.

Federal EIN
Internal Revenue Service
Identifies the business for federal tax. It is the same number in every state.
Source: irs.gov
Initial file number
DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Business and Professional Licensing Administration, Corporations Division (Office of the Superintendent of Corporations)
Identifies the entity's record in the District of Columbia registry.
Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
DC tax registration (Office of Tax and Revenue account)
DC Office of Tax and Revenue
DLCP says corporate registration is separate from, and must come before, a business license or tax registration. The tax account is opened with the Office of Tax and Revenue, and the federal EIN comes from the IRS.
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06

What a District of Columbia status means

Active
The entity has filed its biennial reports and keeps a registered agent, so it is in active and good standing status.
Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Revoked
The entity's registration was revoked, for example for not filing a biennial report or for going more than 60 days without a registered agent. It can be brought back to Active through reinstatement.
Source: boss.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06

Fees and annual filings

LLC formation
$99 (certificate of organization, domestic LLC)
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Corporation formation
$99 for a domestic business corporation with authorized capital up to $100,000; $550, $1,100, or $1,650 for larger authorized capital
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Annual filing
Biennial Report (BRA-25)
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Annual fee, LLC
$300 biennial report
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Annual fee, corporation
$300 biennial report
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
When it is due
The first biennial report is due by April 1 of the calendar year after the entity registers, then by April 1 every two years after that.
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Late filing
$100 late fee. Failing to file can lead to revocation.
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Filed with
DLCP Corporations Division, online through BOSS
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Note
The District uses a biennial report (form BRA-25), not an annual one. Optional expedited service is $50 for 3-day or $100 for same-day and is required for walk-in service.
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06

As published by the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Business and Professional Licensing Administration, Corporations Division (Office of the Superintendent of Corporations), checked 2026-10-06. Fees change, and the official schedule decides.

Forming or running a business in District of Columbia

Registered agent
Every registered entity must keep a registered agent in the District, and its status may be revoked after more than 60 days without one.
Source: dlcp.dc.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Business forms and fees
Official District of Columbia business forms and fees →

District of Columbia businesses on file

All 395 District of Columbia businesses on file →

Sources

A fact that could not be confirmed on an official page is left out.

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