Trade Name (DBA) Registration Notice - District of Columbia - Preparation Worksheet
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TRADE NAME (DBA) REGISTRATION WORKSHEET
1. REGISTRANT INFORMATION
Individual or Entity Legal Name: [LEGAL NAME]
Entity Type: [SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP / GENERAL PARTNERSHIP / CORPORATION / LLC / LP / LLP / COOPERATIVE / STATUTORY TRUST / OTHER]
D.C. Entity Number, if applicable: [NUMBER]
Proposed Trade Name: [NAME]
Governor or Authorized Person — Name and Street Address: [NAME AND ADDRESS]
Complete Business Address: [ADDRESS]
D.C. Registered Agent — Name and Address, if required: [NAME AND ADDRESS]
2. REGISTRATION
2.1 A person conducting business in the District under a statutory "trade name" must register it with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP).
2.2 A trade name generally is a business name that does not include the true and real names of all persons conducting the business or that suggests additional parties of interest.
2.3 The proposed trade name must be distinguishable on the District's records from protected entity, reserved, registered, governmental, and other registered trade names.
2.4 A proposed trade name may not be the same as the individual's name and may not contain a corporate suffix such as LLC, Corp., Ltd., or LP.
2.5 File Form TN-1 through CorpOnline or use the current DLCP paper form. An entity owner must be in good standing before filing.
2.6 The current registration fee is $55. The current DLCP process does not require newspaper publication or an affidavit of publication.
3. RENEWAL AND CHANGES
3.1 Renew by April 1 of the second year after the registration year or last renewal year, and every two years thereafter.
3.2 A late renewal may be filed through August 31 of the renewal year with a $55 late fee in addition to the $55 renewal fee. An unrenewed registration is canceled on September 1.
3.3 File an amendment when the registrant's true and real name, mailing address, or registered-agent information changes.
3.4 File a cancellation when use ends. If the persons conducting the business change, or the trade name's wording or spelling changes, file a cancellation and a new registration before using the changed registration.
3.5 The current amendment and cancellation fees are each $55.
4. EXECUTION
The sole proprietor, entity governor, or a person authorized for the governor must execute the filing under penalties of perjury.
Signature: __________________________________________
Printed Name: [NAME]
Title / Capacity: [TITLE]
Date: [DATE]
SOURCES AND REFERENCES
About this template
- Last updated
- July 26, 2026
- Citations checked
- July 26, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- District of Columbia
- Category
- Corporate & Business
Legal authority
- D.C. Code §§ 47-2855.01 through 47-2855.03 and current DLCP trade-name forms
Corporate documents govern how a company makes decisions, records them, and handles disputes between owners, directors, and officers. Proper corporate paperwork is what lets a business take advantage of limited liability, pass clean audits, and survive an acquisition or investor review. Skipping formalities like written resolutions and signed consents is one of the fastest ways for a business owner to lose personal asset protection.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on July 26, 2026.
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