Corporate Registration

DCRA's Corporations Division serves as the Office of Corporate Registrar for the District of Columbia. The Corporations Division registers all entities, domestic (DC) or foreign (non-District) that conduct business in the District of Columbia.

This is the first step in business regulatory compliance. This registration is separate and must be done before entity applies for a business license, permit, tax registration or any other registration within the District.

If you would like to operate in the District of Columbia as a nonprofit and for-profit corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, general cooperative association, limited cooperative association and statutory trust you must register with Superintendent of Corporations of Corporations Division of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

The following is the list of entities by type that are subject to mandatory registration: (for more information, please, click on each entity type)

• Limited Liability Companies including Professional Limited Liability Companies
• Business Corporations including Professional Corporations and Benefits Corporations
• Nonprofit Corporations
• Limited Partnerships including Limited Liability Limited Partnerships
• Limited Liability Partnerships
• General Cooperative Associations
• Limited Cooperative Associations
• Statutory Trusts
• Foreign (Non District) Entities -click on this link if your organization has been established outside the District of Columbia and you would like to register before doing business.

 

Find more information about different organizational types by using the following link: Choose Corporate Structure

 

Trade Name Registration

Superintendent of Corporations of DCRA also registers trade names (fictions names) in the District of Columbia.

"Trade name" means a word or name, or any combination of a word or name, used by a person to identify the person's business which does not include the true and real name of all persons conducting the business.

For more information on trade name registration, please, refer to the following link: Register a Trade Name

 

Online Filing

Go to CorpOnline, create a profile, access the online services main page (use Internet Explorer 8 or higher version or latest version of Chrome, Firefox or Safari) and proceed. Online filers must pay by credit card.

The following online services are available for Corporate Filings:

1.        Online formation of all domestic filing entities (LLCs, for-profit and nonprofit corporations, limited and limited liability partnerships, general and limited cooperative associations and business trusts)

2.        Online registration of all foreign filing entities

3.        Online filing of required biennial reports for all domestic and foreign filing entities

4.        Online domestic name reservations and foreign name registrations

5.        Online trade name registrations for all filing entities and sole proprietors (general partnerships and other non filing entities).

6.        Online good standing certificate requests for all foreign and domestic filing entities

7.        Online request for certified copy of corporate filing for all filing entities

8.       Online search by name or file number or registered agent's name of all registered entities with expanded entity information to include report and trade name history

9.        Online filing for withdrawal for all foreign filing entities

10.     Online dissolution for domestic nonprofit corporations, for-profit corporations and limited liability companies

11.      Online statements of change for registered agents for nonprofit and for-profit filing entities

12.     Online amended registration statements for all foreign filing entities

13.     Online articles of amendment for domestic limited liability companies

14.     Online articles of amendment for domestic nonprofit corporations

15.     Online articles of amendments for domestic for-profit corporations

16.     Online reinstatements and back report filings form bra-25 for all domestic for-profit and nonprofit entities

17.     Online reinstatements and back report filings form bra-25 for all foreign for-profit and nonprofit entities

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers for the Most Frequently Asked Questions are available here – Corporate Registration FAQ.

How much will the filing costs? View fees for all services.

Where do we mail our filings? View payment and mailing address information.

Service of Process

The Corporations Division Program Manager serves as a Superintendent of Corporations and in that capacity acts as the Mayor’s Agent for Service of Process for businesses that are defunct, or fail to maintain an agent in the District or are operating in the District. Find out more information about the Service of Process.