The official search
The registry is run by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Corporations Division. Two things have changed recently, and older guides get both wrong: the agency is DLCP, not DCRA, and CorpOnline was replaced in August 2026 by BOSS, the Business One Stop Solution.
- Search portal: https://boss.dc.gov
- Cost: Free to search
- Login: BOSS works through an Access DC account — the District's single sign-on. Plan on creating one (free) to run the business-filings search and to file; that account requirement is the main friction in DC compared with most states' anonymous searches.
The database covers everything registered with the Corporations Division: LLCs, corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited partnerships, LLPs, cooperative associations, statutory trusts, and registered trade names.
There is no standalone ruling on availability. You judge from the records, and the Corporations Division makes the final decision when your filing is reviewed. The online Articles form also runs an initial name check as you file — treat a pass there as preliminary, not approval.
A record shows the legal name, file number (LLC file numbers start with "L"), entity type, status, date of organization, registered agent, principal office address, and filing history.
Step by step
- Go to BOSS at boss.dc.gov and sign in with your Access DC account, or create one first.
- Open the business-filings / entity search and enter your proposed name without "LLC" or any other ending. Endings are ignored in DC's test, so leaving them off gives you the honest result set.
- Review every close match, across all entity types. A corporation, partnership, or registered trade name with your name is just as much a conflict as another LLC.
- Try shorter and re-worded variants — drop a generic word, search the most distinctive word alone — because names that merely sound or look near-identical can still fail the distinguishability test.
- Open the full record on any close match and note its status. Do not assume a name is available just because its owner looks inactive — ask the Corporations Division if a match's status is unclear.
- If nothing conflicting appears, the name is probably available — subject to the Division's final review when you file.
District of Columbia name rules
The rules are in D.C. Code § 29-103.01 (permitted names) and § 29-103.02 (name requirements).
Designator. The name must contain "limited liability company" or "limited company," or the abbreviation "L.L.C.," "LLC," "L.C.," or "LC." "Limited" may be abbreviated "Ltd." and "company" as "Co." A professional LLC uses a "PLLC"-type designator.
Distinguishable. The name must be distinguishable on the District's records from:
- Every domestic entity name on file with the Corporations Division
- Every foreign entity registered to do business in DC
- Every reserved name
- Every registered trade name / assumed name
Differences that do not count. Changing only the entity ending does not distinguish a name — "Paula's Pastries LLC" is not distinguishable from an existing "Paula's Pastries Inc." Word separators and articles such as "the," "a," "and," and "&" are likewise disregarded. If a name is not distinguishable, it can still be used with the existing holder's consent under § 29-103.01.
Restricted words. Words such as "bank," "credit union," and "insurance" need the Mayor's prior approval. A name deceptively similar to a U.S. or District government agency is prohibited, as is a name implying a different entity type.
Reserving a name. DC allows name reservations under § 29-103.03: $50 holds a name for 120 days, filed with the Corporations Division on Form GN-3, online through BOSS or by mail. A reservation is optional — if you are ready to form, skip it and file the Articles.
What the search can't tell you
- A final verdict. Only the Corporations Division's review of your filing settles availability. Even the in-form initial check says the Division decides.
- Whether you may legally operate. A clean search and approved Articles still leave the Basic Business License (below), DC tax registration, and zoning untouched.
- Trademarks and domains. The DC search covers District records only — not USPTO trademarks or .com availability. Only registered DC trade names are in this database.
If the name looks available
File Articles of Organization (Form DLC-1) with the DLCP Corporations Division — online through BOSS, by mail, or in person.
- Cost: $99. That is DLCP's initial registration fee for a domestic for-profit LLC.
- Processing: Standard online processing is commonly reported at a few business days, and expedited service is reported to be available for an extra fee — neither figure is a District guarantee, so check BOSS for the current options and fees before you rely on them.
Ongoing: the biennial report (Form BRA-25) — DC's big cost.
- Fee: $300 every two years for a for-profit LLC.
- Due date — read this carefully: your first report is due by April 1 of the calendar year after you register, then by April 1 every two years after that. It is not due two years after formation. Form in November 2026 and your first $300 falls due by April 1, 2027; form in January 2027 and you get until April 1, 2028. Same fee, very different runway.
- Late fee: an extra $100 if the report is filed after April 1 of its due year. Let it lapse further and the LLC faces administrative dissolution, with reinstatement costing more on top of the back reports.
Then, the licence. Forming the LLC does not license the business. Under D.C. Code § 47-2851.02, a business operating in the District generally also needs a Basic Business License (BBL) from DLCP for its activity category before it starts operating. Getting one typically requires an EIN, registration with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue, a Clean Hands certificate, and zoning compliance (a Certificate of Occupancy, or a Home Occupation Permit for a home-based business). BBL prices vary by category and licences generally run on a two-year cycle — budget for this as a separate step and cost after formation.
FAQ
Is the DC LLC name search free? Yes, searching in BOSS is free. You will generally need a free Access DC account to sign in and run the business-filings search.
What replaced CorpOnline? BOSS (Business One Stop Solution) at boss.dc.gov, launched in August 2026. The agency is now the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP); older guides pointing to DCRA or CorpOnline are out of date.
How much does it cost to form a DC LLC? The Articles of Organization (Form DLC-1) filing fee is $99, paid to the DLCP Corporations Division.
When is the DC biennial report due, and how much is it? $300, on Form BRA-25. The first report is due by April 1 of the year after you register, then every two years. Filing late adds a $100 fee.
Can I reserve an LLC name in DC? Yes — $50 for 120 days under D.C. Code § 29-103.03, using Form GN-3 through the Corporations Division.
Sources
- DLCP — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (BOSS, Business One Stop Solution, at boss.dc.gov): https://dlcp.dc.gov/
- DLCP — License & Corporate Filing Fees (domestic for-profit initial registration $99; biennial report $300; late fee $100): https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/dlcp-license-corporate-filing-fees
- DLCP — Corporations Division: Business Registration FAQs (BOSS formerly CorpOnline; BRA-25 first due April 1 of the year after registration): https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/corporations-division-business-registration-faqs
- DLCP — Corporations Division Fees (name reservation $50): https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/corporations-division-fees-business-corporation