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District of Columbia

District of Columbia Business Entity Search (DLCP)

Written byRegistryWise Editorial TeamFact-checked against the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) · How we research

The short answer

DC business entities are searched for free on the Entity Search in BOSS, the portal run by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), by entity name, initial file number or trade name. DC has no Secretary of State for this: DLCP's Corporations Division is the corporate registrar, and its Entity Search is separate from the business license search in the same portal.

On this page
  1. LLC lookup, step by step
  2. What the status means
  3. Agent, filings, owners
  4. Your File Number (shown in the search as "Initial File No.")
  5. Is the name available?
  6. DBA and UCC search
  7. Fees and deadlines
  8. Questions
  9. Sources

District of Columbia at a glance

Who runs it
Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Corporations Division
BOSS Entity Search (formerly CorpOnline)
Cost to search
Free
Searching is free. A certificate of good standing or a certified copy of a filing is $50, ordered in BOSS with an Access DC login.
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Entity Name/Initial File No./Trade Name, Match type: Starts With, Contains or Exact Match
and 3 more

State fees

  • Form an LLC$99DLCP's fee table calls it the "Certificate of organization". Walk-in filings add a $100 one-day expedite fee.Articles of Organization (Form DLC-1)Official source
  • Biennial Report$300By April 1 of the year after the LLC registers, then by April 1 every two years.Official source
  • Certificate of Good Standing$50Not available for trade names.Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change registered agent$50Change of registered agent by entity.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

An LLC lookup in District of Columbia is the same search as a business search. The BOSS Entity Search (formerly CorpOnline), kept by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by entity Name/Initial File No./Trade Name, match type: Starts With, Contains or Exact Match, entity Type, entity Status or effective Date range. It's free, and you don't need an account.

The BOSS Entity Search (formerly CorpOnline) search page, with the name box marked 1 and the search button marked 2.
The BOSS Entity Search (formerly CorpOnline) as we found it on November 8, 2026. We marked where to type (1) and what to click (2). The state may change its layout.
  1. Open the Entity Search in BOSS. You don't need to sign in to search.
  2. Type the name, initial file number or trade name in the "Entity Name/Initial File No./Trade Name" box, then choose Starts With, Contains or Exact Match.
  3. Narrow the list with "Entity Type", "Entity Status" or the "Effective Date" range, complete the CAPTCHA check if one appears, and click Search.
  4. Open the entity to see its status, registered agent and report history.
  5. To order a good standing certificate or certified copy, sign in with Access DC and go to "Certificates & Certified Copies".

Good to know in District of Columbia: DC collects beneficial ownership information. Formation filings and every biennial report must list each person who owns more than 10 percent of the entity or controls it, a District rule in place since January 1, 2020 and separate from the federal FinCEN report. Also use the right search: BOSS has a "Global Search" that mixes in business licenses, while the Entity Search covers only corporate registrations and trade names.

What the search shows you

  • Entity name and file number
  • Entity status
  • Entity type
  • Registered agent name and address
  • Report history
  • Trade names
  • Governor information

What the status words mean

District of Columbia uses its own words for a company's status, and they don't always mean the same thing as in other states. Here's what you'll see on the BOSS Entity Search (formerly CorpOnline), in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
Active - In Good StandingThe entity is active and current. DLCP says an entity stays in active and good standing status by filing its biennial reports and keeping a registered agent.
Active - Not in Good StandingDLCP's help pages don't define this status. Good standing depends on filed biennial reports and a registered agent, so check the report history on the record.
RevokedDLCP's status for an entity whose registration has been revoked, for example for not keeping a registered agent for more than 60 days. Under DC Code 29-106.01, a domestic entity can also be dissolved administratively when a biennial report is more than 5 months late. A domestic entity reinstates with Form GN-5, which costs $300 for an LLC.
DissolvedNot defined on DLCP's help pages. A domestic LLC that closes files a Statement of Dissolution (Form DLC-8), which costs $5.
WithdrawnNot defined on DLCP's help pages. A foreign entity that stops doing business in DC files a Withdrawal of Foreign Registration Statement (Form FN-3).

For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Registered Agent

Shown on the entity record. The agent's address must be a physical street address in DC, not a PO box, a third-party mailbox or an address outside the District. Changing the agent costs $50.

Filing history

The record shows the entity's report history. Certified copies of filings are $50 each through "Certificates & Certified Copies" in BOSS, with a separate request for each filing.

Owners, managers and officers

DC formation filings and biennial reports must include beneficial owners: anyone with more than 10 percent, or who controls the entity. BOSS shows governor information on entity records. If the state record doesn't name anyone, our guide on how to find the owner of an LLC covers where else to look.

Finding a District of Columbia File Number (shown in the search as "Initial File No.")

District of Columbia gives every business on its register a File Number (shown in the search as "Initial File No."). It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.

What it looks like
For LLCs, the letter L followed by 11 digits (for example L00008221433). Some older records use a plain number.
Where to find yours
On the entity record in the BOSS Entity Search, and in DLCP's Corporate Registration dataset on Open Data DC.
Search by it
Yes. The BOSS Entity Search (formerly CorpOnline) accepts it.

It's easy to mix it up with these, which come from other offices:

  • FR-500 business tax registration (Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR)). A separate registration on MyTax.DC.gov that sets up DC tax accounts. OTR says to register with DLCP first, then file the FR-500, then get your business license.

Your federal EIN is a different number again. See which business number a form is asking for.

Checking whether a business name is available in District of Columbia

  1. Search the name in the Entity Search, which also covers trade names.
  2. A trade name can't be the same as an active entity name or another active trade name on record.
  3. Reserve a name for a domestic entity with Form GN-3. The fee for an LLC is $50.

A clear result on the state search isn't a trademark clearance. If the name matters to you, also search the USPTO trademark database and check the domain. More in our business name search guide.

DBA and UCC search in District of Columbia

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Trade Name
Where they're filed
Trade names are registered with DLCP's Corporations Division in BOSS, and the Entity Search covers them. Any business using a trade name in DC must register it.
State fee
$55
How long it lasts
Two years. Renew by April 1 of every second year. Late renewals pay a $55 late fee, and trade names not renewed by September 1 are canceled.

UCC liens

Lenders file UCC financing statements with the DC Office of the Recorder of Deeds (Office of Tax and Revenue). The online search is free and needs an account. Our District of Columbia UCC search guide has the steps and fees.

District of Columbia fees and deadlines

These are the state's own fees, before any service charges. Each row links to the official page we took it from.

Form an LLC

$99
  • Articles of Organization (Form DLC-1).
  • Online filings are processed within 5 business days.
  • Faster options: $50 for 3-day service or $100 for 1-day service (by the end of the next business day).
File online Fee source

Biennial Report

$300
  • Due: By April 1 of the year after the LLC registers, then by April 1 every two years.
  • If you're late: $100 late fee. Under DC Code 29-106.01 and 29-106.02, an entity whose report is more than 5 months late can be dissolved administratively if it doesn't cure the problem within 60 days of notice. Reinstatement for an LLC costs $300.
  • The report updates the entity's address, registered agent, purpose and beneficial owner information.
File the report Fee source

Change your registered agent

$50
  • Every District of Columbia LLC must have one.
  • Change of registered agent by entity.
Fee source

Certificate of Good Standing

$50
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP).
  • Not available for trade names.
Order one Fee source

12,387 new business applications were filed in District of Columbia from January to September 2026, up 8.5% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in District of Columbia?

A lot of people search the BOSS Entity Search (formerly CorpOnline) to see if a name is taken before they file. If that's you, here's the order to do things in.

  1. 1Check the name is free in District of ColumbiaTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateArticles of Organization, $99 state fee
  3. 3Or let a service file it for youCompared on what you pay in year two

Step 3 goes to our comparison page, which has sponsored links. We earn a commission if you buy, and it doesn't change our rankings. How that works.

Frequently asked questions

How do I look up an LLC in District of Columbia?

Search the BOSS Entity Search (formerly CorpOnline), the official database kept by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP). You can search by entity Name/Initial File No./Trade Name, match type: Starts With, Contains or Exact Match, entity Type, entity Status or effective Date range. It's free, and you don't need an account. Open the matching record to see the LLC's status, registered agent and filing history.

Is the DC business entity search free?

Yes. The Entity Search in BOSS is free. A certificate of good standing or a certified copy costs $50 and is ordered after you sign in with Access DC.

Is the BOSS business license search the same as the entity search?

No. BOSS has a "Global Search" that covers business licenses as well as entities. The Entity Search covers corporate registrations and trade names filed with DLCP's Corporations Division.

What does "Revoked" mean in the DC search?

The entity's registration has been revoked, for example because it didn't keep a registered agent for more than 60 days. A domestic entity can apply to reinstate with Form GN-5, which costs $300 for an LLC.

When is the DC biennial report due?

By April 1 of the year after the LLC registers, then every two years. The fee is $300, plus $100 if it's late.

Sources

We take every fee, deadline and rule on this page from these pages and nowhere else. Rules change, so open the source before you pay anything.

  1. 1.BOSS Entity SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.BOSS Global Search (entities and business licenses)Checked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.DLCP Corporations DivisionChecked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.Corporations Division: business registration FAQsChecked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.Corporations Division fees: limited liability companyChecked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.Domestic limited liability companyChecked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.Trade nameChecked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.Form GN-5, Reinstatement of Domestic Filing Entity (PDF)Checked November 8, 2026
  9. 9.DC Code 29-106.01 (grounds for administrative dissolution)Checked November 8, 2026
  10. 10.DC Code 29-106.02 (procedure and effect)Checked November 8, 2026
  11. 11.Open Data DC: Corporate RegistrationChecked November 8, 2026
  12. 12.Office of Tax and Revenue: Recorder of Deeds FAQs (UCC filing fee)Checked November 8, 2026
  13. 13.Recorder of Deeds public searchChecked November 8, 2026
  14. 14.Office of Tax and Revenue: new business registration (FR-500)Checked November 8, 2026

See something out of date? Report it and we'll look into it.

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