District of Columbia Business Name Checker
Check if your business name is available in the District of Columbia. Validate DC naming rules instantly, then confirm availability free through the DLCP's CorpOnline system at corponline.dlcp.dc.gov.
Validate the name format, then search the official DC Dept. of Licensing & Consumer Protection (DLCP) — CorpOnline records.
1.Search the state registry (DC Dept. of Licensing & Consumer Protection (DLCP) — CorpOnline) for existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names
2.Check federal trademarks at USPTO.gov — state approval does not protect you from trademark claims
3.Verify the .com domain is available for your name
4.Grab matching social media handles (Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook)
5.Lock the name in by filing your formation documents — or reserve it first (details below)
Fee
$50
Holds the name for
120 days
How to file
Form GN-3 (Name Reservation Registration and Transfer Form) via CorpOnline or by mail
Filing online requires an Access DC account for CorpOnline. Renewal terms are not clearly published — confirm with the DLCP Corporations Division.
How Business Name Availability Works in District of Columbia
The District of Columbia has no Secretary of State — business filings go to the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) Corporations Division, through the CorpOnline system at corponline.dlcp.dc.gov. Searching existing names is free; filing anything requires an Access DC account. An LLC costs $99 to form, and the District's biennial report runs $300 — one of the steepest recurring fees in the country.
Even the legal language is different in the District: under D.C. Code § 29-103.03, your name must be "distinguishable on the records of the Mayor" — the Mayor being the formal keeper of DC's business records. The test itself works like other states' standards: your name must differ recognizably from every registered and reserved name on file.
Reserving a name costs $50 for 120 days using Form GN-3, and DC trade names come with a calendar trap: the $55 Trade Name Registration renews every two years by a hard April 1 deadline, with a $55 late fee waiting if you miss it. One more local custom: walk-in customers at the DLCP are automatically charged expedited-service fees, so filing online is the budget path.
District of Columbia Business Name Requirements
✓ Name Requirements
- • LLCs must include "LLC", "L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company"
- • Corporations must include "Inc.", "Corp.", "Incorporated" or "Corporation"
- • Must be "distinguishable on the records of the Mayor" from every registered and reserved name in the District (D.C. Code § 29-103.03)
- • Cannot suggest a government affiliation
- • Cannot be misleading about business purpose
- • Governed by D.C. Code § 29-103.02 (entity designators) and § 29-103.03 (distinguishability)
✗ Restricted Words
- • "Bank" — typically requires approval from the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB)
- • "Trust" — implies trust powers — DISB review typically required
- • "Insurance" — regulated by the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking
- • "University" — implies an educational institution — clearance from the DC Higher Education Licensure Commission is typically required
- • "College" — same educational-institution review applies as for "University"
- • "Credit Union" — restricted to chartered credit unions
- • "Olympic" — federally protected under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
How to Check Name Availability in District of Columbia
Use the tool above to open the DC Dept. of Licensing & Consumer Protection (DLCP) — CorpOnline search and look up existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. DC has no Secretary of State — filings go to the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), and walk-in customers are automatically charged expedited fees ($100 same-day, $50 three-day).
Search the USPTO database at uspto.gov — clearing the District of Columbia registry does not protect you from a federal trademark claim.
Check that the matching .com domain is available before you commit — renaming an LLC later means an amendment filing and new bank paperwork.
Confirm your name is free on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn so your branding stays consistent everywhere.
District of Columbia lets you reserve a name for 120 days for $50 — Form GN-3 (Name Reservation Registration and Transfer Form) via CorpOnline or by mail.
What Registering a Name Costs in District of Columbia
| Filing | State Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation filing | $99 | One-time |
| Annual report / recurring fee | $300 | Every 2 years |
| Name reservation | $50 | Holds the name 120 days |
| Trade Name Registration (Form TN-1) | Filed district-wide with the DLCP for $55. Renewal is every 2 years by a hard April 1 deadline for $55, with a $55 late fee if you miss it. | |
State filing fees as of 2026. See the District of Columbia LLC tax and fee calculator for the full annual cost picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a business name is taken in Washington, DC for free?
Search the DLCP's CorpOnline system at corponline.dlcp.dc.gov — the business filings search is free and covers registered entities, reserved names, and trade names in the District. Note that DC has no Secretary of State: the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection's Corporations Division keeps the records, and filing anything (as opposed to searching) requires a free Access DC account.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in DC?
A DC name reservation costs $50 and holds the name for 120 days. File Form GN-3, the Name Reservation Registration and Transfer Form, through CorpOnline (which requires an Access DC account) or by mail. Renewal terms are not clearly published, so confirm with the DLCP Corporations Division if you need a longer hold. As the form name suggests, a DC reservation can also be transferred to someone else.
What suffix does a DC LLC name need?
Per the DLCP's guidance, a District of Columbia LLC name must include "LLC" — with "Limited Liability Company" and "L.L.C." as the standard long forms under D.C. Code § 29-103.02. Corporations use "Inc," "Incorporated," or "Corp." If you want a less common designator format, confirm it with the DLCP Corporations Division before filing.
What does "distinguishable on the records of the Mayor" mean?
It is DC's version of the standard name-availability test, from D.C. Code § 29-103.03. Because the District has no Secretary of State, the Mayor is formally the keeper of business records — the DLCP Corporations Division administers them in practice. Your proposed name must differ recognizably from every registered and reserved name on those records; cosmetic changes like punctuation or a different entity suffix do not count.
How does a trade name (DBA) work in DC?
File Form TN-1, the Trade Name Registration, with the DLCP for $55 — online through CorpOnline or by mail. The registration renews every two years for $55 by a hard April 1 deadline, and missing it triggers a $55 late fee. Unlike most states, the renewal date is fixed for everyone rather than tied to your filing anniversary, so calendar April 1 the day you register.
What does a DC LLC cost to form and maintain?
Articles of Organization cost $99, and DC LLCs then file a biennial report for $300 — one of the steepest recurring fees in the country, due on a fixed April 1 schedule every other year. Optional costs: $50 to reserve a name for 120 days and $55 for a trade name (renewed biennially for $55). Avoid filing in person: walk-in customers are automatically charged expedited fees of $100 for same-day or $50 for three-day service.
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Checking a Name in Another State?
Searching DC Names on CorpOnline — No Secretary of State Required
DC routes everything through the DLCP Corporations Division and its CorpOnline portal at corponline.dlcp.dc.gov. The business filings search is free and covers registered entities, reserved names, and trade names in the District. To file — a reservation, a formation, a trade name — you will first need an Access DC account, the District's single sign-on.
To hold a clear name, file Form GN-3, the Name Reservation Registration and Transfer Form, for $50 — through CorpOnline or by mail. The hold lasts 120 days; renewal terms are not clearly published, so ask the Corporations Division before assuming a second window. As the form's name hints, a DC reservation can also be transferred to another party.
Filing the Articles of Organization ($99) secures the name permanently. One cost trap to dodge: walk-in customers are automatically charged expedited fees — $100 for same-day service or $50 for three-day — so unless you need the speed, file online at the standard rate.
DC Naming Rules: Distinguishable on the Records of the Mayor
The District's standard comes with the most distinctive phrasing in the country: under D.C. Code § 29-103.03, a name must be "distinguishable on the records of the Mayor." There is no Secretary of State in DC, so the Mayor is formally the records keeper — in practice, the DLCP Corporations Division applies the test, and it works like other states': a recognizable difference from every registered and reserved name.
Designators are simpler than most states. Per the DLCP's guidance, an LLC name must include "LLC" — with "Limited Liability Company" and "L.L.C." the standard long forms under D.C. Code § 29-103.02 — and corporations use "Inc," "Incorporated," or "Corp." Confirm unusual formats with the Corporations Division before filing.
Regulated words route to District regulators: "bank," "trust," and "insurance" implicate the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB), and educational terms typically need Higher Education Licensure Commission clearance. And a name cleared by the DLCP still is not a trademark — check the USPTO register too, especially in a city dense with national organizations.
DC Trade Names and the Hard April 1 Renewal Deadline
Operating under a brand different from your legal name in the District requires a Trade Name Registration — Form TN-1 — for $55, filed with the DLCP. Like everything else in DC, it goes through CorpOnline with an Access DC account, or by mail.
The renewal rule is the part that bites: trade names renew every two years by a hard April 1 deadline, for $55 — and missing the date costs a $55 late fee, doubling the price of forgetfulness. Unlike states that renew on your filing anniversary, DC's date is fixed for everyone: April 1. Put it on the calendar the day you register.
Remember the same biennial rhythm applies to the entity itself: DC LLCs file a biennial report for $300, also on a fixed April 1 schedule. Between the two, a DC business with a trade name faces a predictable but pricey every-other-year April — budget for it rather than discovering it in a late-fee notice.
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