Form an LLC in Washington DC without the hassle.
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There are many reasons to form an LLC in District of Columbia. Here are the main ones:
Legal protection in case of bankruptcy or lawsuits
Separation of personal and business assets
Tax benefits: flexibility & pass-through taxation
Increasing credibility and trust for your business
Check if your LLC name is available in District of Columbia
Choose a registered agent for your LLC
Sit back and let us take care of the paperwork for you
Although the District of Columbia is not an independent state, it is home to 670,000 people and thousands of businesses. Just as the 50 states do, the District of Columbia has unique laws and regulations when it comes to starting a limited liability company.
The government of the District of Columbia, often referred to as Washington, D.C., wants to make the process of forming and operating an LLC as quick and simple as possible for new business owners. The best way you can prepare to complete the forms is to gather contact information such as name, address, email and telephone number for each member of the LLC.
Here are the six steps you will need to complete when forming an LLC in the District of Columbia:
This guide will walk you through each of the six steps in detail.
Just as each of the 50 states do, the District of Columbia imposes specific regulations when it comes to naming a new business. These include:
A registered agent is a person who accepts responsibility for sending and accepting legal documents on behalf of your LLC. The District of Columbia requires all new LLCs to list the registered agent’s name, street address during regular business hours, and other contact information. The registered agent must meet the following requirements:
All new businesses forming under the LLC structure need to list the name of a registered agent in the District of Columbia. Besides regular communications from the Washington, D.C., government, this person receives notifications of lawsuits and other legal information delivered by a process server. You can be the registered agent or name another member of your LLC. However, you can also choose any person you trust, as long as the person is over 18 and has a street address within the District of Columbia.
Some new business owners choose to work with a registered agent service rather than choose a friend or LLC member. You have the assurance of knowing you are working with a professional who will make sure your business remains compliant if you choose this option. Working with a service also protects your privacy, since the government publishes the names and addresses of registered agents in the District of Columbia Public Entity Search. The entry for your business will show the name of the company you hired instead of your personal name if you go this route.
You are ready to file articles of organization once you have settled on a name for your business and made sure that it is available for use. Once you have completed the forms, you will need to file them with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. You can either complete and submit the forms online, mail a hard copy, or submit your articles of organization in person.
The current fee to form an LLC and file the required articles of organization in the District of Columbia is $220.
You will need the following information available when you complete your articles of organization forms:
If you choose to file your paperwork online, navigate to this link, follow the online instructions, and pay your fee after you have completed all the forms. When mailing the form, you can download it and then send it to the following address:
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Corporations Division
PO Box 92300
Washington, DC 20090
Should you decide to submit the forms in person, you can do so at the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs office located at 1100 4th St. SW in Washington, D.C. You will need to pay an extra $100 if you choose to hand-deliver your completed paperwork.
A registered agent is a person who accepts responsibility for sending and accepting legal documents on behalf of your LLC. The District of Columbia requires all new LLCs to list the registered agent’s name, street address during regular business hours, and other contact information. The Washington DC registered agent must meet the following requirements:
All new businesses forming under the LLC structure need to list the name of a registered agent in the District of Columbia. Besides regular communications from the Washington, D.C., government, this person receives notifications of lawsuits and other legal information delivered by a process server. You can be the registered agent or name another member of your LLC. However, you can also choose any person you trust, as long as the person is over 18 and has a street address within the District of Columbia.
Some new business owners choose to work with a registered agent service rather than choose a friend or LLC member. You have the assurance of knowing you are working with a professional who will make sure your business remains compliant if you choose this option. Working with a service also protects your privacy, since the government publishes the names and addresses of registered agents in the District of Columbia Public Entity Search. The entry for your business will show the name of the company you hired instead of your personal name if you go this route.
An operating agrement outlines the rules and expectations for operating your business while also giving the new company greater credibility from a legal standpoint. Although many new LLCs prepare an operating agreement at the time of filing the articles of organization, you can always create one later. The information contained in the operating agreement remains private, and you do not have to file it with the District of Columbia government.
No. The District of Columbia does not legally require LLCs to have an operating agreement, but preparing one provides additional protection for you and your business partners. Here is some information to include in this document if you and your business partners choose to create it:
The requirement to apply for an employer identification number is the same regardless of the location of your business within the United States. The Internal Revenue Service offers EIN processing as a free service. Tailor Brands also offers EIN applications and processing as part of our LLC formation services.
For tax reporting purposes, the IRS requires detailed information about the person considered the true principal operator of the business. This information includes the person’s full name and Social Security number, individual tax identification number, or previous/other EINs. The IRS considers the entity or person who controls, directs and manages funds and assets for the organization to be the responsible party.
The fastest way to obtain an EIN is to apply online. The website automatically generates a number once you have completed all the required information. The IRS currently issues only one EIN to one responsible party each business day. The rule will only apply to you if you want to use different EINs for separate divisions of your company.
Another option is to complete Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number, and fax it to 855-641-6935 or mail it to the following address:
Internal Revenue Service
Attn: EIN Operation
Cincinnati, OH 45999
This step-by-step guide details the steps you need to name your District of Columbia LLC properly by searching if it is unique.
There are different costs to form an LLC in DC and maintain it. We’ve listed all of them in this post.
Appointing registered agent is a mandatory step in your LLC formation process in DC – learn more about it.
This post details which licenses and permits your Washington DC LLC may require and how to obtain them.
We love helping people start their business. We take care of the LLC filing and offer additional services so you can focus on launching and growing your business, while remaining compliant with state regulations.
Here’s why people choose to form their LLC with us:
Our products are user friendly, all you need to do is answer a few questions about your business and let us take care of all the rest.
Our platform is easy to use and is optimally designed to guide you through your LLC formation process and business journey.
We offer more products to help you set and manage your business like registered agent, business licenses, and annual report.
For more reviews from our customers, visit our reviews page.
This portion of our website is for informational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and none of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness.
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