District of Columbia LLC cost at a glance
| Cost | District of Columbia amount |
|---|---|
| Cost to form | $99 |
| Biennial report | $300 every two years ($150 a year on average) |
| When it is due | 1 April, every second year from the year after formation |
| State tax on the LLC | Unincorporated business franchise tax of 8.25%, minimum $250, above $12,000 of gross income |
| First-year state fees (minimum) | $99 |
| Yearly state fees after that (minimum) | $150 |
| Registered agent | Required. Free if you act as your own; commercial services charge a yearly fee |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 |
Fees verified October 2026 against the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection and other official District of Columbia sources listed at the end of this page.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in the District of Columbia?
The DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection charges $99 to file Articles of Organization for a domestic LLC. The fee schedule lists one $99 fee, and online filings through the CorpOnline system are paid by credit card.
Faster handling costs $100 for same-day service and $50 for three-day service, on top of the $99. Walk-in filers must pay the expedited fee. Reserving a name before you file costs $50.
Our walkthrough on how to file articles of organization in the District of Columbia covers the form field by field.
How much does a District of Columbia LLC cost every year?
A DC LLC files a biennial report every two years, and each one costs $300. The first report is due 1 April of the calendar year after the LLC was formed, and the next one 1 April two years later.
Spread over two years, the report works out to $150 a year. That is more than the yearly filing cost in Virginia or Wyoming, and less than Maryland’s $300 every year.
The biennial report is a corporate filing only. Taxes go to the DC Office of Tax and Revenue on a separate return, covered in the next section.
What does a District of Columbia LLC cost over the first three years?
The table below adds up the state fees a District of Columbia LLC pays in its first three years, using the minimum amounts the District of Columbia charges. The second column adds the BusinessAnywhere registered agent service, which is free for the first year and $147 a year after that.
| Year | State fees only | With a registered agent service |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $99 | $99 |
| Year 2 | $300 | $447 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $147 |
| Three-year total | $399 | $693 |
The table counts only filing fees. An LLC with more than $12,000 of gross income also files Form D-30 every year and pays at least $250 in unincorporated business franchise tax, which adds $750 or more over three years.
Does the District of Columbia charge a franchise tax or income tax on LLCs?
DC taxes LLC profit itself through the unincorporated business franchise tax, at 8.25% of DC taxable income. The return is Form D-30, due 15 April for calendar-year businesses.
The minimum tax is $250, or $1,000 when DC gross receipts exceed $1 million. An LLC with total gross income of $12,000 or less does not file Form D-30. Two exemptions also apply: a disregarded LLC reported on Schedule K of its owner’s D-30 or D-20, and a professional business where more than 80% of gross income comes from the members’ personal services and capital is not a material income-producing factor.
The franchise tax is separate from the biennial report and goes to a different office, the DC Office of Tax and Revenue. Plan for both before you choose DC as the home of the LLC.
How much does a registered agent cost in the District of Columbia?
Every District of Columbia LLC must name a registered agent with a physical street address in the District of Columbia. Acting as your own agent costs nothing, but your address goes on the public record and you must be available at that address during business hours. Commercial registered agent services charge a yearly fee for the same role.
The BusinessAnywhere registered agent service is free for the first year and $147 a year after that, with every document scanned to your online dashboard the day it arrives.
Our District of Columbia registered agent guide explains the state rules in full.
If you are weighing the free option, read can I be my own registered agent first.
Does a District of Columbia LLC need an EIN, and what does it cost?
An EIN costs nothing when you apply directly with the IRS. A District of Columbia LLC needs one to hire employees, to open a business bank account and whenever it has more than one member. US residents with an SSN or ITIN apply through the IRS online EIN application and receive the number at the end of the session.
Founders outside the United States cannot use the online tool. They apply by phone, fax or post with IRS Form SS-4, and do not need an SSN to do it. The BusinessAnywhere EIN application service handles that process for $97. Our guide on how to obtain an EIN for your LLC covers both routes.
What other District of Columbia LLC fees should you budget for?
These fees apply only when you need the service. They are the District of Columbia state charges as of October 2026.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | $50 | Reservation or transfer of an LLC name. |
| Expedited filing | $100 same day, $50 three day | Added to the filing fee; required for walk-in filings. |
| Certificate of good standing | $50 | A long-form status certificate costs double. |
| Certified copy | $50 | Per certified copy of a filing. |
| Amending the articles | $220 | Amendment or restatement of the certificate of organization. |
| DBA (assumed or trade name) | $55 | Trade name registration; renewal also $55, plus $55 if renewed late. |
| Changing registered agent | $50 | Change of registered agent filed by the LLC. |
| Foreign LLC registration | $220 | Foreign registration statement. |
| Reinstatement after dissolution | $300 | Reinstatement after administrative dissolution. |
DC also requires a basic business license for business activity in the District. The general business license costs $99 for a two-year term, $49 for six months or $198 for four years, and renewal costs the same. Other license categories carry their own fees.
An operating agreement carries no government fee in the District of Columbia and is not filed with the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, but every LLC should have one to set out ownership and decision rights. BusinessAnywhere sells an operating agreement template for $97.
What happens if you miss a District of Columbia LLC deadline?
A biennial report filed after 1 April carries a $100 late fee on top of the $300. When a report or fee is more than five months late, the District can begin administrative dissolution, and the LLC then has 60 days after notice to cure the problem.
Reinstating a dissolved DC LLC costs $300, plus the reports and fees it missed. Unpaid DC tax also blocks a Certificate of Clean Hands, which DLCP requires before it issues or renews a business license.
If you intend to close the business, file formally instead of letting it lapse. Our guide on how to dissolve an LLC in the District of Columbia sets out the steps.
How does the District of Columbia compare with other states?
The District of Columbia is cheap to form in and costly to keep. The $99 formation fee is close to the $100 national median, but the $300 biennial report and the $250 minimum franchise tax put the yearly cost above Virginia and Wyoming.
| State | Formation fee | Yearly state fees (minimum) | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99 | $150 | $99 to form, $300 biennial report, $250 minimum franchise tax |
| Maryland LLC cost | $100 | $300 | $100 to form, $300 annual report |
| Virginia LLC cost | $100 | $50 | $100 to form, $50 annual registration fee |
| Delaware LLC cost | $110 | $400 | $400 flat annual tax due 1 June |
| Wyoming LLC cost | $100 | $60 | $60 minimum license tax, no income tax |
For all 51 jurisdictions side by side, see our full table of LLC cost by state.
How to form a District of Columbia LLC for $0 plus state fees
BusinessAnywhere files your District of Columbia LLC for $0 plus the $99 state fee. The filing comes with a free first year of registered agent service, so your first-year cost is the state fee and nothing else.
- Formation: $0 service fee plus the District of Columbia filing fee.
- Registered agent: free for the first year, then $147 a year.
- EIN application: $97, with no SSN required for non-US founders.
- Compliance reminders: every District of Columbia deadline on this page tracked in your dashboard.
- Virtual mailbox: a US street address with mail scanning, from $20 a month.
Start with our LLC formation service, or read the full guide on how to start an LLC in the District of Columbia first.
District of Columbia LLC cost FAQs
How much does an LLC cost in Washington DC?
A Washington DC LLC costs $99 to form and $300 every two years for the biennial report. An LLC with more than $12,000 of gross income also pays the unincorporated business franchise tax, with a $250 minimum.
When is the DC biennial report due?
1 April of the calendar year after formation, and then 1 April every second year. Each report costs $300.
What is the DC late fee for the biennial report?
$100. A report more than five months late can start administrative dissolution, and reinstatement costs $300.
Does a DC LLC pay franchise tax?
Yes, unless an exemption applies. The unincorporated business franchise tax is 8.25% of DC taxable income, with a $250 minimum, or $1,000 when DC gross receipts exceed $1 million. An LLC with $12,000 or less of gross income does not file.
Do I need a business license for a DC LLC?
Yes, for business activity in the District. The general business license costs $99 for two years, and other categories have their own fees.
How much does a DC LLC cost over three years?
At the minimum, $399 in filing fees: $99 to form and one $300 biennial report. With a commercial registered agent from year two at $147 a year, the total is $693, before any franchise tax.
Sources
- DC DLCP, Corporations Division fees for limited liability companies
- DC Code 29-102.11, biennial report
- DC Office of Tax and Revenue, Form D-30 instructions
- DC DLCP, license and corporate filing fees
- Official District of Columbia source: Expedited filing fee
- Official District of Columbia source: DBA (assumed or trade name) fee
Fees change. Every figure on this page was checked against the official source in October 2026. Confirm the current amount with the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection before you file.
