*NOTE: This section includes amendments by temporary legislation that will expire on August 13, 2026. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation affecting this section, click this link: Permanent Version.*

1. (a) A person applying for a basic business license shall submit, in a form published by the Department, proof of the following:

   1. (1) Entity filing as required by the Business Organizations Code, Title 29;
   2. (2) Tax registration as required by Chapter 18;
   3. (3) Certificate of occupancy as required by Title 11 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations;
   4. (4) That the applicant does not owe the District more than $1,000 in outstanding taxes, fines, penalties or interest pursuant to § 47-2862;
   5. (5) Workers' Compensation insurance coverage or an exemption to the coverage; and
   6. (6) Any other information or documentation considered necessary by the Department.

2. (b)

   1. (1) The social security number of each applicant for a license issued pursuant to this chapter, for membership in the bar of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals pursuant to § 11-2501, and for any recreational license issued in the District of Columbia shall be recorded on the application.
   2. (2) If a number other than the social security number is used on the face of the license or membership document, the issuing agency or entity shall keep the applicant's social security number on file, and the applicant shall be so advised.
3. (c) Licenses issued under this subchapter shall be valid for a period of 6 months, 2 years, or 4 years.
4. (d) All licenses granted under this subchapter must be conspicuously posted on the premises of the licensee, and the licenses shall be accessible at all times for inspection by the police or the Department.

5. (e)

   1. (1) Notwithstanding any authority delegated to the Department to implement the provisions of this subchapter, the authority for determining eligibility and fitness for the issuance and renewal of any requested license that requires a pre-licensing or renewal investigation, inspection, testing, or other judgmental review by the regulatory agency legally authorized to make such determination shall remain with that agency.
   2. (2) Upon receipt of the application and proper fee payment for a license for which issuance is subject to regulatory agency action under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Department shall promptly notify the relevant regulatory agency of the license requested by the applicant.

   3. (3) Each regulatory agency shall advise the Department within 30 days after receiving the notice, or such other period as is established by law, that:

      1. (A) The agency approves the issuance of the requested license and will advise the applicant of any specific conditions required for issuing the license;
      2. (B) The agency denies the issuance of the license and gives the applicant reasons for the denial; or
      3. (C) No action has been taken on the application, for which the Department shall provide good and sufficient reasons for the delay and an estimate of when the action will be taken.

6. (f)

   1. (1) The Department shall advise the applicant of the status of other requested licenses.
   2. (2) It is the responsibility of the applicant to contest the decision regarding conditions imposed or licenses denied through the normal process established by statute or by regulation.

History

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

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

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

Dec. 7, 2004, D.C. Law 15-205, § 1104, 51 DCR 8441

Mar. 22, 2023, D.C. Law 24-333, § 5(c)(13)

Dec. 6, 2025, D.C. Law 26-55, § 2163(a)

Dec. 31, 2025, D.C. Law 26-78, § 3(c)

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1104 of Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-594, October 26, 2004, 51 DCR 11725).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1104 of Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-486, August 2, 2004, 51 DCR 8236).

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

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2163(a) of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-146, Sept. 3, 2025, 72 DCR 9623).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of Revised Business Licensing Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-165, Oct. 23, 2025, 0 DCR 0).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2163(a) of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-210, Nov. 24, 2025, 72 DCR 13514).

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 15-205, in subsec. (a), substituted “business license application, along with proof of Workers’ Compensation insurance coverage, or an exemption therefrom, to the Center” for “business license application to the Center”.

D.C. Law 15-38, in subsec. (a), substituted “basic business license application” for “master application” in two places; in subsecs. (b) and (e)(1), substituted “basic” for “master”; repealed subsec. (c)(2); and in subsec. (f), substituted “basic business license application” for “master application”. Prior to repeal, subsec. (c)(2) had read as follows: “(2) The Center shall have the authority to issue, without endorsement, a Class B license for which the proper fee payment and a completed application form has been received and for which no pre-licensing or renewal approval action is required by any regulatory agency.”

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 47-2851.7.

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)(13) 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)(13) 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)(13) of D.C. Law 24-333 applicable as of October 1, 2025.

Section 4 of D.C. Law 26-78 provided that the amendments made to this section by section 3(c) of D.C. Law 26-78 shall apply as of October 1, 2025.

Temporary Legislation

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of Revised Business Licensing Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-78, Dec. 31, 2025, 72 DCR 12889).