Start an LLC in Washington DC
Start a Washington DC LLC by filing formation paperwork with the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) for $99.
You can use our free tool to fill out the paperwork right here yourself. Or hire Northwest to do it for you and we’ll provide one year of registered agent service and a free business identity—all for $39.
Washington DC Articles of Organization
Use our free tool to fill out your Washington DC Articles of Organization. Submitting this form to the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection officially creates your LLC. Save your progress, download, and print at any time. Or, hire us to prepare and submit your Articles for you.
How to Start an LLC in DC
A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a permanent public record. Starting one requires sharing personal information with the government, banks, landlords, vendors, and of course, customers. We provide a free business identity to anyone who needs it—that’s a domain name, website, phone line, email address, and brand protection on day one. This helps protect your privacy and keep you in control of your intellectual property.
1. Name Your LLC
Naming your LLC is both a legal and a marketing consideration. The main requirement is to make sure the name you want isn’t already taken in DC, online, or as a federal trademark within your industry. When you name your LLC, make sure your business name:
- Includes an indicator like LLC or Limited Liability Company
- Doesn’t suggest your business is something that it isn’t (like, for example, a corporation)
- Isn’t already trademarked or in use in Washington DC
How will you know if your business name is unique? You can search business names in Washington DC. If your name is taken, don’t try to get around it by adding filler terms like the or misspelling a word. If your name is too close to another name on the rolls, your paperwork will get rejected.
2. Register Your Domain Name
Next up, you’ll want to secure a domain name for your website. Why is a domain name important? Just like you need a street address to help people find you on a map, you need a domain name to help people find you on the web. For domain names, it’s better to register earlier rather than later. There are two basic reasons why:
- Credibility: When you bother to establish a professional domain name, you’re letting customers know you take your work seriously.
- Consistency: A domain name that connects to your brand name makes it simpler for customers to remember you, which makes them more likely to seek you out.
Northwest is a business identity provider, so we offer domain names in-house. Just go to our domain search page, type in the name you want, and we’ll let you know which ones are available.
3. Appoint a Registered Agent
A Washington DC registered agent is a person or business who accepts legal mail on behalf of your LLC in person. They must be:
- Over 18 (if an individual and not a business)
- Available during regular business hours
- Able to accept important mail and get it to you in a timely manner
- Physically located in Washington DC, with a street address, not a P.O. Box or virtual office
Your registered agent could be you, a member or manager of your LLC, or someone outside of your LLC altogether—like a professional registered agent.
4. Submit LLC Articles of Organization
Filing your DC Articles of Organization with the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection is the step that officially creates your limited liability company in DC. If the DLCP rejects your Articles, your LLC is not legally formed. Everything on this form will go on the public record. You’ll need to provide:
- Business name: Must follow DC’s LLC naming laws.
- Registered agent information: This must include a physical address, not a P.O. Box.
- Effective date: Most LLCs form as soon as their paperwork is processed, but you can choose any date within 90 days of filing.
- Miscellaneous provisions: This is where you can include anything extra. If you’re forming an LLC that offers licensed services (a PLLC), you’ll list your professional service. If you’re forming a DC Series LLC, you’ll need to state that here.
- Member and manager information: Anyone who holds more than 10% membership interest or controls financial, operational, or day-to-day dealings must be listed.
- Organizer: Whoever files your Articles needs to provide a name, address, and signature. Hire Northwest to form your DC LLC and our information will go here.
How do I file my DC Articles of Organization?
You can submit your Articles of Organization to DLCP online, by mail, or in person.
Mail:
Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection Corporations Division
P.O. Box 92300 Washington, DC 20090
In person:
1100 4th St, SW Second Floor
Washington, DC 20024
Online:
Via DC’s online filing system, BOSS
5. Create an Operating Agreement
An operating agreement is the rule book for your Washington DC limited liability company. You don’t have to have one, but most LLCs do. An operating agreement is a legally binding document, meaning once in place, it has to be followed. This might sound restrictive, but it’s a good idea to have a plan before the tricky stuff happens.
Your DC LLC operating agreement can include anything you want, as long as it’s legally sound. Typically, it has processes for voting, profit distribution, and dissolving your business. It is an internal document that doesn’t need to be shared with anyone outside your LLC except maybe your bank or loan provider.
6. Get an EIN
Most people start an LLC in Washington DC to make money. You heard it here first! And if you make money, you need to put it somewhere and pay your taxes. To do either of those things, you’ll need an EIN (Employer Identification Number). The EIN is the business version of a Social Security number. To open a business bank account, you need to bring:
- The LLC’s EIN
- Your DC LLC Articles of Organization (a copy is fine)
- The LLC’s operating agreement
- An LLC Resolution to Open a Bank Account (if your LLC has more than one member)
You’ll also need to fund the LLC so you can do things like hire an employee or buy materials. Each member needs to make an initial contribution. The percentage of ownership in the LLC is directly correlated to how much they contribute. This is called membership interest.
7. Get a Business License
Every business in DC needs at least one business license: the Basic Business License. To get yours, do the following:
- File your Articles of Organization
- Get an EIN
- Register with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue
- Register with the Office of Zoning Administration if physically operating in DC
- File your Basic Business License application—which specific basic business license you need will be determined by your business activity
A General Business license costs $99 for two years or $198 for four years. You must pay with a credit or debit card.
8. File Your Biennial Report
All Washington DC LLCs need to file taxes and reports. This is how you let the District and federal government know what your business is up to.
- Federal taxes: DC LLCs are taxed as pass-through entities, so owners (members) will report the business’s earnings on their individual tax returns. This is taxed at the federal self-employment rate, 15.3%.
- DC Franchise Tax: LLCs in DC are subject to an annual franchise tax of 8.25%. For LLCs with $1 million or less in gross receipts, the minimum payment is $250. LLCs with over $1 million in gross receipts will owe at least $1,000.
Biennial report Every two years, you’ll need to file a report with the DLCP to update them on your LLC owners and contact information. This costs $300. It is due on April 1st. Never miss a deadline when you hire Northwest to file your DC Biennial Report.
Frequently Asked Questions
It costs $55 to file a Trade Name Registration form in DC. You can file online, by mail, or in person. A DC trade name—also called a DBA or a fictitious name—lets you operate your business under a name other than your business’s official name. You must renew your trade name every other year. This is also $55. It will be canceled if not renewed every two years between April 1st and September 1st.
Start Your Washington DC LLC
We'll get it done for $39 + state fees.