---
title: "District of Columbia DBA: How to File, $55 Fee, Renewal"
description: "To file a DBA in District of Columbia, register the trade name with the state ($55). Lasts renew every 2 years. Steps, renewal dates, official links."
url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/bookkeeping/dba-district-of-columbia"
---

Business names · District of Columbia

# Registering a DBA in District of Columbia

Where the trade name is filed, what it costs, when it has to be renewed, from the official pages.

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**Short answer.** The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Corporations Division. An entity that owns the name has to be in good standing first. Cost: $55 to register; renewal is $55, and a late renewal adds $55. Renew by April 1 of the second year after registration or the last renewal. A late renewal is accepted through August 31 of that year with the late fee. File through CorpOnline, signing in with Access DC.

## At a glance

Called

trade name

Where to file

State office

Filing fee

$55 to register; renewal is $55, and a late renewal adds $55.

Local fees vary

No local filing

How long it lasts

Renew every 2 years

Online filing

[File through CorpOnline, signing in with Access DC.](https://corponline.dlcp.dc.gov)

## Renewal, with dates

Renew by April 1 of the second year after registration or the last renewal. A late renewal is accepted through August 31 of that year with the late fee.

Setting up the books for the new name? [A free bookkeeping health check](/bookkeeping/health-check).

For a registration filed on Tuesday, November 17, 2026:

- **Sole proprietor or partnership:** renewal due by Saturday, April 1, 2028

Your own date: [open the calculator set to District of Columbia](/bookkeeping/dba-renewal-date-calculator?state=dc).

**Not stated on the pages we read:** a newspaper notice.

## Official sources

- [DC DLCP: Corporations Division fees](https://dlcp.dc.gov/node/1620016) (checked November 2026)
- [DC DLCP: Trade name forms TN-1 to TN-4](https://dlcp.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/DLCP/publication/attachments/Trade Name Combined Form TN-1-4.pdf) (checked November 2026)

General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Checked November 2026 against the pages above. Fees and forms change, and a county or town office can add its own steps, so confirm with the filing office before you file. We don't file DBAs or trade names for anyone.

## Questions people ask

**Where is a DBA filed in District of Columbia?**

It's called a trade name. The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Corporations Division. An entity that owns the name has to be in good standing first.

**What does it cost to register a business name in District of Columbia?**

$55 to register; renewal is $55, and a late renewal adds $55.

**How long does a District of Columbia trade name last?**

Renew by April 1 of the second year after registration or the last renewal. A late renewal is accepted through August 31 of that year with the late fee.

**Can the filing be done online in District of Columbia?**

File through CorpOnline, signing in with Access DC.

All states: [DBA registration by state](/bookkeeping/dba-registration-by-state) · [Connecticut](/bookkeeping/dba-connecticut) · [Florida](/bookkeeping/dba-florida)

Tallyfinch

### Books you keep on your own computer

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## Want the books set up for the new name?

[See bookkeeping services](/bookkeeping/)[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)