1. Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs
G O V E R N M E N T O F T H E D I S T R I C T O F C O L U M B I A
Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs
NICHOLAS A. MAJETT, DIRECTOR
Washington, DC Economic Partnership Doing Business 2.0
Navigating the Regulatory Process
December 12, 2012
Venable LLP
575 7th street, NW

2. Working Smarter, Working Faster, for DC Businesses.
COME MEET THE NEW DCRA.
DCRA is committed to providing you and your business with the services it needs to help keep the District of Columbia’s economic engine churning.
On June 6, 2012, DCRA celebrated the first anniversary of the Small Business Resource Center which brings together government agencies, non-profits and the private sector to offer one-on-one business counseling and workshops specifically designed to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs with navigating the District’s regulatory environment.
Working Smarter, Working Faster, for DC Businesses.
Vincent C. Gray, Mayor
Nicholas A. Majett, Director

3. DCRA Offices 1100 Fourth St., S.W Washington, D.C. 20024

4. MISSION
The mission of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is to protect the health, safety, economic interests, and quality of life of residents, businesses, and visitors in the District of Columbia by issuing licenses and permits, conducting inspections, enforcing building, housing, and safety codes, regulating land use and development, and providing consumer education and advocacy services.

5. BUSINESS LICENSING
OVERVIEW

6. BUSINESS LICENSING DIVISON MISSION
The Business Licensing Division (BLD) is responsible for the
process, issuance and renewal of business licenses for citizens and entities seeking to conduct business in the District of
Columbia.

7. BPLA is the licensing and business compliance body of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). There are six (6) divisions and/or programs within the administration:
Business Licensing Division (BLD)
Corporations Division (CORPD)
Occupational and Professional Licensing Division (OPLD)
Regulatory Investigations Section (RID)
Special Events and Vending (SE&V)
Weights and Measures Division (WMD)
In addition BPLA began offering services to our customers
via our Small Business Resource Center (SBRC)

8. BUSINESS LICENSING OVERVIEW NUMBER OF LICENSE CATEGORIES
Issue licenses in 165 categories
Top 5 licensing categories
One Family Rental
Home Improvement Contractors
Home Improvement Salesman
Restaurants
General Business

9. BUSINESS LICENSING OVERVIEW BASIC LICENSING REQUIREMENTS
Before an application for a business license can be received, there are some basic requirements:
Step 1: Corporate Registration (if operating as a Corporate entity i.e. corps., LLCs or
Partnerships)
Step 2: Registration with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue (FR 500 Notice of Business Tax
Registration or the FR 164 for Non-profit Organizations)
Step 3: Certificate of Occupancy (if operating out of an office location in the District) or
Home Occupation Permit (if conducting business out of the home)
Step 4: Clean hands certification
Step 5: BBL application

10. BUSINESS LICENSING OVERVIEW ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC LICENSING CATEGORIES
Certain licensing categories require additional information to include:
Bond
Insurance
Criminal History Check
Other District Agency Signatory Approval (i.e. Department of Health)

11. BUSINESS LICENSING OVERVIEW NUMBER OF LICENSE CATEGORIES
New Business Licenses:
- Approximately 10,870 processed
Renewals (including online renewals):
- Approximately 16,882 processed
Total Active Licenses:
- Approximately 53,515

12. BUSINESS LICENSING DIVISION STATISTICS
Number of Active Business Licenses: - Approximately 53,515 registered
Number of Phone Calls: -  Approximately 200 per day
Walk-In Customers: - Approximately 150 per day
Online Renewals/Revenue
-Approximately 2,839 transactions (FY2012)
-Approximately $ 1,129,747
Total Revenue: - Approximately $7 million in FY 2010
Approximately $8 million in FY 2011
- Approximately $12 million in FY 2012

13. CORPORATIONS
OVERVIEW

14. CORPORATIONS DIVISION OVERVIEW
The Corporations Division is responsible for the examination,
custody and maintenance of the legal documents filed by
corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies,
cooperative associations, business trusts and trade names.
The Superintendent of Corporations also serves as the Mayor’s
Agent for service of Process for businesses that are defunct, or
fail to maintain an agent in the District or are operating in the
District without proper registration.

15. CORPORATIONS DIVISION PRIMARY PROGRAM OPERATIONS
The Corporations Division registers and provides file maintenance services for the following:
CORPORATIONS:
- Business & Professional Corporations
- Non- Profit Corporations
PARTNERSHIPS:
- General Partnerships
- Limited Partnerships
- Limited Liability Partnerships
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES
BUSINESS TRUSTS
COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATIONS
TRADE NAMES

16. CORPORATIONS DIVISION STATISTICS YTD (9/25/12)
Number of Entities of Record: - Approximately 323,734 registered
Number of Phone Calls: -  Approximately 150 per day
Walk-In Customers: - Approximately 90 per day
Online Filings Transactions/Revenue- Since 6/13/2011
-Approximately 35,849 transactions
-Approximately $ 6,616,429 million
Total Corporate Transactions: - Approximately 85,000 in FY 2012
Total Revenue: - Approximately $13.2 million

17. CORPORATIONS DIVISION STATISTICS BY YEAR
New Businesses: - Approximately 11,000 registered annually
Certified Documentation/Status Certificates: -  Approximately 17,500 issued annually
Miscellaneous/Amendments (other corporate filings): - Approximately 11,000 processed annually
Reports: - Approximately 56,000 processed annually
Total Transactions: - Approximately 85,000 processed annually
Active Corporate Entities: - Approximately 75,000

18. SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER OVERVIEW

19. SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER OVERVIEW
The Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) provides workshops and one-on-one technical assistance to customers seeking assistance with navigating the District’s regulatory environment.

20. SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER SERVICES
Types of Services Offered to Customers in the SBRC:
Business licensing application process
Business formation (sole proprietors, LLC’s, partnerships, C & S Corps, cooperative associations, business trusts, and trade names)
Pre -Ventures
Start ups
Building permits
Certificates of Occupancy
Development Ambassador Program
Plan reviews
Third party reviews
Business planning preparations
Lending preparation
How to start a business

21. SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDING ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS
District Government
Business Licensing Division (BLD)
Corporations Division (CORP)
Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR)
Permit Operations Division
SBRC Facilitators
DC Chamber of Commerce Foundation (DCCCF)
DC Bar Pro Bono Program
DC Women’s Business Center (DCWBC)
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Latino Economic Development Corporation LEDC)
Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF)
Washington, DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP)

22. SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
Services are available by appointment

23. SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER WEBPAGE

24. SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER STATISTICS & WHAT’S NEW
Number of business development information sessions:
- Approximately 135 in FY 2011
- Approximately 425 in FY 2012
Number of individual customers:
- Approximately 90 in FY 2011
- Approximately 250 in FY 2012

25. UPDATES
&
NEW INITIATIVES

26. Corporations Division News:
BPLA UPDATES
Corporations Division News:
Implemented new corporate law 1/1/2012
Launched expanded online services site 1/1/2012
Business License Division News:
Online submission (OSUB) Phase 2.0 for new business license applications roll-out by 10/31/2012
Small Business Resource Center News:
New partnerships in FY 2013:
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
DCRA’s Vending Division

27. Small Business Resource Center News: Workshops Scheduled in FY 2013:
BPLA UPDATES CON’T
Small Business Resource Center News:
Workshops Scheduled in FY 2013:
Federation of DC Public Librarians Corporate Overview
CM Barry’s Ward 8 Arts & Cultural Committee Corporate Overview
Anacostia Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) Fast Tack Panel Discussion
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
DCRA’s Weights & Measures Octane Gas Overview
DCRA’s Weights & Measures Farmer Markets Overview
DC Bar Pro Bono Clinic

28. DCRA is moving in the right direction
DCRA is moving in the right direction. As we continue to expand online services, in concert with new process improvements, we are making it easier for businesses to conduct business in the District, to achieve Mayor Gray’s vision of a healthy environment where small businesses flourish,
“One City.”

29. QUESTIONS