Basic Business License Renewal Overview

Update to the License Period Format

Effective August 1, 2025 , DLCP updated the license period format. Licenses will now be valid from the date of issuance until the last day of the same month two or four years later, based on the license term selected by the customer at the time of application (example 3/12/2025 - 3/31/2027). Anyone renewing their license after August 1, 2025, your updated license will reflect this new license period format. This new format will apply of all new applications and renewals moving forward.

Renewal Eligibility

You may renew a Basic Business License (BBL) online at My DC Business Center (mybusiness.dc.gov) up to ninety (90) days prior to a license's expiration date.

Renewal Notification

Licensees are notified via the email address provided by the applicated in the boss.dc.gov system, ninety (90), sixty (60), thirty (30) and seven (7) days prior to the BBL's expiration date

License Cancellation

If you are no are longer conducting the business activity for which your BBL is issued, you are required to notify the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection by submitting a BBL Cancellation Request via boss.dc.gov. Onced logged into BOSS, choose Amend/Cancel a license from the Business Licensing section of the left-hand menu

(Most compatible with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge web browsers)

If you obtained your Basic Business License through My DC Business Center, you may renew the license by:

1) Logging into your existing My DC Business Center account;

2) Select 'My BBLs';

3) DO NOT Select the blue "Renew an Existing License"; scroll down to locate your BBL record;

4) Select the blue 'RENEW' hyperlink to the right of your license;

5) Follow screen prompts to complete the renewal process.

All other licensees may renew via My DC Business Center by:

1) Creating and/or logging into your My DC Business Center account;

2) Select 'My BBLs';

3) Select the blue "Renew an Existing License";

4) Input the requested credentials (i.e., BBL number and last 4 digits of tax number);

5) Follow the screen prompts to add the Basic Business License record to your My DC Business Center account;

6) Return to your My DC Business Center dashboard and select 'My BBLs';

7) DO NOT Select the blue "Renew an Existing License"; scroll down to locate your BBL record;

9) Select the blue 'RENEW' hyperlink to the right of your license;

10) Follow screen prompts to complete the renewal process.

If this is your first visit to the My DC Business Center since the June 20, 2020 launch of Access DC, please take the following steps:

Open a browser tab and go to My DC Business Center;
Register with AccessDC using email address;
Complete the link account step in the DC Business Center and enter User ID;
You will need to know the original My DC Business Center password or use the 'Forgot password?' feature on the LINK PAGE.

If you already have registered for an AccessDC account, please take the following steps:

Open a browser tab and go to My DC Business Center;
Log into the AccessDC account using email address;
Complete the link account step in the DC Business Center and select User ID;
You will need to know the original My DC Business Center password or use the 'Forgot password?' feature on the LINK PAGE.

Penalty Fee Schedule

All Basic Business Licenses comply with the following Penalty Fee Schedule for failure to renew by the expiration date:

The following license statuses correspond with the current penalty fee schedule: These fees do not include additional penalties that may be assessed for doing business without a license.

Lapsed = 1 day - 30 days post expiration; $75.⁰⁰ penalty assessed
Expired = 31 days - 6 months post expiration; additional $75.⁰⁰ penalty assessed
Pending Enforcement Referral - 6 months, 1 day - 9 months post expiration; additional $200.⁰⁰ penalty assessed
Referred to Enforcement = 9 months, 1 day +

A license advanced to the Referred to Enforcement status is subject to investigation by the Consumer Protection Unit and additional fines for unlicensed business activity.

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