District of Columbia

Electrical, plumbing, asbestos abatement, home improvement and refrigeration and air conditioning contractors must be licensed to work in the District of Columbia.

To find out if a plumber is licensed in the District of Columbia call (202) 442-4380 or click https://www.asisvcs.com/services/licensing/DCOPLA/search_page.asp?CPCAT=4909STATEREG. To find out if an electrician is licensed in the District of Columbia, click https://www.asisvcs.com/services/licensing/DCOPLA/search_page.asp?CPCAT=3609STATEREG. To find out if a refrigeration and air conditioning contractor is licensed, click https://www.asisvcs.com/services/licensing/DCOPLA/search_page.asp?CPCAT=RA09STATEREG. 

Listings of business license holders in the District of Columbia are available by request. Click here for information. You will need to print the License Information Request Form and send it by mail to the Office of Information Systems at 941 North Capitol Street NE Room 1100, Washington, DC, 20002. They will notify you of the fee for your request. Information can be sent to you either on diskettes, mailing labels, or by e-mail.

• Electrician's Licenses

• Plumber's Licenses

• Home Improvement Contractor's License
   
• Asbestos Abatement Licenses
   
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Licenses

• Foreign Corporations

Electrician's License

The department responsible for electrical applications, licensing and certification:

Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs Occupational and Professional Licensing 941 North Capitol Street, NE 7th Floor Washington, DC 20002 (202) 442-4320 http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/site/default.asp

The application is available online at http://www.asisvcs.com/indhome_fs.asp?CPCAT=3609STATEREG.

Application mailing and license issuance is handled by:

Promissor Metro-PlexII, Suite 400 8201 Corporate Drive Landover, MD (877) 540-5834 http://www.promissor.com/

License types, exam requirements and fees are listed below:

All contractor applicants must post a bond for amounts listed below:

• $4000 for Electrical Contractor
• $2000 for Electrical Contractor Specialist (Elevator, Low Voltage, Escalator, Maintainence & Repair)
• $1000 for Electrical Contractor Specialist (Fixtures)
• $2000 for Designated Master Electrician
• $1000 for Designated Master Electrician Specialist

There is no reciprocity with any other jurisdiction.

Plumber's License

The department responsible for plumbing applications, licensing and certification:

Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs Occupational and Professional Licensing (202) 442-4320 http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/site/default.asp

The application is available online at http://www.asisvcs.com/indhome_fs.asp?CPCAT=4909STATEREG.

Application mailing and license issuance is handled by:

Promissor Metro-PlexII, Suite 400 8201 Corporate Drive Landover, MD (877) 540-5834 http://www.promissor.com

To get a license, you must pass an exam. You must also carry liability insurance and be bonded.

License types, exam requirements and fees are listed below:

Home Improvement Contractor

To perform home improvement work for contracts exceeding $300, you will need a license. Contact:

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Business and Professional Licensing Administration 941 North Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 442-4311 http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/site/default.asp

Business application/processing requirements:

• A Basic Business License Application
• A Certificate of Occupancy/Compliance for Zoning Regulations.  For more information call (202) 442-9475 (Building and Land Regulation Administration).
• Corporations Division requirements. For instructions on how to register, go to http://www.dcra.dc.gov and click on "Corporate Registration" or call (202) 442-4432.
• Clean Hands Certification. Certifies that you don't owe more than $100 to the District of Columbia government as a result of fees, penalties, interest, or taxes.
• Office of Tax Revenue (OTR) Registration. Complete and file a Combined Business Tax Registration Application (Form FR500). For more information, call the Tax Customer Center at (202) 727-4829.
• Police Criminal History Report (Form PD 70).
• Surety Bond in the amount of $5000 for the two year license period.
• Public Liability and Property Damage Insurance Certificate. You must have insurance for public liability in the amount of $100,000 and property damage in the amount of $50,000 for two year license period.
• Contract Samples. Submit two preprinted sets of your Contracts form or receipt forms in triplicate with your application. 
• Salesperson. Provide a list of salespersons working for the company. Submit at least one Home Improvement Salesperson application.

Home improvement business license fee: The application fee is $35 and the license is $167. You must also pay a $10 endorsement fee. The license is good for two years.

Home Improvement Salesperson application/processing requirements:

• A Basic Business License Application
• Clean Hands Certification. Certifies that you don't owe more than $100 to the District of Columbia government as a result of fees, penalties, interest, or taxes.
• Office of Tax Revenue (OTR) Registration. Complete and file a Combined Business Tax Registration Application (Form FR500). For more information, call the Tax Customer Center at (202) 727-4829.
• Police Criminal History Report (Form PD 70).
• Digital Passport Photographs
• Proof of Issued Business License
• Affadavit. By a contractor located in the Metropolitan Area of the District of Columbia and licensed, certifying that the applicant will be employed by the contractor as a home imporvement salesperson.

Home improvement salesperson license fee: The application fee is $35 and the license is $167. You must also pay a $10 endorsement fee. The license is good for two years.

Asbestos Abatement

To do asbestos abatement work in the District of Columbia, you will need a license. Contact:

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Business and Professional Licensing Administration 941 North Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 442-4311 http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/site/default.asp

To operate an asbestos abatement company, you need a business license. The Asbestos abatement business application/processing requirements are:

• A Basic Business License Application
• A Certificate of Occupancy/Compliance for Zoning Regulations.  For more information call (202) 442-9475 (Building and Land Regulation Administration).
• Corporations Division requirements. For instructions on how to register, go to http://www.dcra.dc.gov and click on "Corporate Registration" or call (202) 442-4432.
• Clean Hands Certification. Certifies that you don't owe more than $100 to the District of Columbia government as a result of fees, penalties, interest, or taxes.
• Office of Tax Revenue (OTR) Registration. Complete and file a Combined Business Tax Registration Application (Form FR500). For more information, call the Tax Customer Center at (202) 727-4829.
• Submit names of asbestos workers employed by your company. 

Asbestos abatement business license fee: The application fee is $35 and the license is $780. You must also pay a $10 endorsement fee. The license is good for two years.

You will need a Master Business License A worker's license to do abatement work. The application/processing requirements are:

• A Master Business License Application
• Provide a copy of current worker's license or school certification from a school with equal or greater requirements to those of the District of Columbia. Some of these states are Deleware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
• Provide a cover letter showing employment with an improved asbestos company. If you don't have this cover letter, you will have to apply for your own tax registration with the Office of Tax and Revenue. If you want to be an independent contractor, you must follow instructions/requirements as an asbestos business.
• Clean Hands Certification. Certifies that you don't owe more than $100 to the District of Columbia government as a result of fees, penalties, interest, or taxes.

Asbestos abatement worker/master business license fee: The license fee is $60 and the license is good for two years.

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning 

To do refrigeration and air conditioning work in the District of Columbia, you will need a license. Contact:

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Business and Professional Licensing Administration 941 North Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 442-4311 http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/site/default.asp

Application mailing and license issuance is handled by:

Promissor Metro-PlexII, Suite 400 8201 Corporate Drive Landover, MD (877) 540-5834 http://www.promissor.com

To get a license, you must have completed an apprenticeship training program and you will have to pass an exam. You must also carry liability insurance and be bonded.

License types, exam requirements and fees are listed below:

Foreign Corporations

If you don't reside in the District of Columbia, you'll need to designate a District resident to act as your registered agent for legal purposes.

All corporations and partnerships must get a Certificate of Authority to do business in the District of Columbia from the Corporation Division of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. To apply for this certificate, contact:

Corporation Division Business Regulation Administration Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs 941 North Capitol Street N.E., Corporations Division Washington, DC 20002 (202) 442-4330 http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/site/default.asp

Click here to link to the Certificate of Authority application online.

Foreign corporation filing fee: You'll be required to pay a $200 filing fee.

Find an error? Please e-mail the Web Master

© 2004 Craftsman Book Company