1. (a) A person doing business in the District of Columbia shall maintain a basic business license in accordance with this subchapter.
2. (b) The Department shall issue or renew a basic business license to an applicant who complies with all applicable District and federal laws and regulations.
3. (c) A basic business license shall be required for each business location.
4. (d) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section and except as required under subchapter I-A of this chapter, an individual employed by the holder of a basic business license is not required to maintain a basic business license to participate in the business of the license holder.
5. (e) Licenses granted under this subchapter may be assigned or transferred upon approval by the Department and payment of the applicable fee.
6. (f) The Department shall maintain and periodically update a roster of all businesses that have been issued a basic business license, indicating the license endorsements appended to each basic business license.
7. (g) No person shall set up, operate, or conduct a business or device by or in which any person, animal, or living object shall act or be exposed as a target for a ball, projectile, missile, or thing thrown or projected for or in consideration of profit or gain, directly or indirectly.

8. (h)

   1. (1) This section shall not apply to activities conducted in connection with:

      1. (A) A bona fide regularly scheduled national annual convention of any national association of a professional beauty and grooming service from which the general public is excluded;
      2. (B) A business activity that has a gross annual revenue of $2,000 or less;
      3. (C) Entertainments, concerts, or performances of any kind where the proceeds are intended for church or charitable purposes, and where no rental is charged; or
      4. (D) Cottage food products.

   2. (2) Upon request by the Department, a person applying for the exemption provided by paragraph(1)(B) of this subsection shall submit a letter self-certifying that the gross annual revenue of the business activity for which the exemption is sought does not exceed $2,000.

      1. (i) An applicant who makes a false statement in a self-certification letter under subsection (h)(2) of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 civil infraction and subject to fines pursuant to section 3201 of Title 16 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations.

History

Apr. 29, 1998, D.C. Law 12-86, § 101(b), 45 DCR 1172

Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-261, § 2002(b), (d), 46 DCR 3142

Oct. 28, 2003, D.C. Law 15-38,§ 2(d), 50 DCR 6913

Mar. 22, 2023, D.C. Law 24-333, § 5(c)(3)

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(d) of Streamlining Regulation Emergency Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-145, August 11, 2003, 50 DCR 6896).

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 15-38 rewrote the section.

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 47-2851.2.

Applicability

Applicability of D.C. Law 24-333: § 9 of D.C. Law 24-333 provided that the change made to this section by § 5(c)(3) of D.C. Law 24-333 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.

Section 7286 of D.C. Law 25-217 provided that the amendments made to this section by Section 5(c)(3) of D.C. Law 24-333 shall apply as of October 1, 2025. Therefore those amendments have been implemented.

Section 7286 of D.C. Law 25-217 amended section 9 of D.C. Law 24-333 making the amendment of this section by section 5(c)(3) of D.C. Law 24-333 applicable as of October 1, 2025.