State hub · District of Columbia
District of Columbia LLC true cost (2026)
District of Columbia state side: $99 formation filing, $300 for Biennial Report in the 3-year model, ~$699 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #43 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
District of Columbia state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection – Corporations Division. Filings go through corponline.dlcp.dc.gov.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $99 | Certificate of Organization / Articles of Organization $99 (DLCP Corporations Division fee schedule). Walk-in may require additional expedite. |
| Biennial Report | $300 | Biennial report $300; late fee $100. Not an annual report. |
| Unincorporated business franchise tax minimum (when applicable) | $250 | May apply based on DC gross receipts/activity; $250 minimum commonly cited when UBF applies at ≤$1M receipts. Not every LLC owes this — listed as potential recurring tax, not included in 3-year SOS subtotal. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $699 | Formation $99 + two biennial reports ($300×2) expected in a typical 3-year window = $699. Excludes UBF tax and business licensing (BBL). |
When District of Columbia actually bills you
District of Columbia's recurring filing is due First report April 1 of the year after registration; then every two years on April 1 — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What District of Columbia charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $99 | $99 |
| Year 1 cycle | Biennial Report | $300 | $399 |
| Year 2 cycle | Biennial Report | $300 | $699 |
| Year 3 cycle | Biennial Report | $300 | $999 |
Provider + District of Columbia state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the District of Columbia state subtotal of $699.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $988 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $1,196 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $997 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $1,446 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How District of Columbia ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, District of Columbia sits at #43 — the 43rd cheapest three-year state charter — at $699 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $664 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $419 above the $280 median, and $1,811 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, District of Columbia lands in the pricier half of the table.
Ranking caveat for District of Columbia: Whether a specific LLC is subject to UBF minimum in year one — fact-dependent; excluded from subtotal.
- Just cheaper: Kentucky ($610), Alaska ($600).
- Just pricier: North Carolina ($725), Maryland ($1,000).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (District of Columbia)
- Registered agent in the District required.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of District of Columbia state fees is $699, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not District of Columbia, is about 29% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Biennial $300 is steep vs many states annual reports.
- Separate Basic Business License (BBL) and possible UBF tax are outside SOS formation math.
- Agency is DLCP Corporations Division (successor context to former DCRA references).
Who District of Columbia is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- District-operating LLCs that need a DC domestic entity.
Often a poor fit when…
- Cost-sensitive remote formations with no DC presence.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about District of Columbia LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in District of Columbia?
$99 to DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection – Corporations Division for the formation filing. Certificate of Organization / Articles of Organization $99 (DLCP Corporations Division fee schedule). Walk-in may require additional expedite. That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing District of Columbia LLC fees after year one?
$300 for the Biennial Report, due First report April 1 of the year after registration; then every two years on April 1. Biennial report $300; late fee $100. Not an annual report. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a District of Columbia LLC really cost over three years?
$699 in District of Columbia state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $988 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $1,446 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with District of Columbia.
Do I need a registered agent in District of Columbia?
Yes. Registered agent in the District required. Confirm District of Columbia's DIY-versus-commercial agent rules with DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection – Corporations Division before you file — a home address here becomes public record. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every District of Columbia figure above.
Is District of Columbia a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, District of Columbia ranks #43 of 51 at $699 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the District of Columbia three-year number is built
Formation $99 + two biennial reports ($300×2) expected in a typical 3-year window = $699. Excludes UBF tax and business licensing (BBL). Figures are re-derived from the cited District of Columbia sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the District of Columbia state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- item: unverified — check source —
- Re-check live DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection – Corporations Division fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where District of Columbia's $699 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the District of Columbia math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.