Rental Business License
DC Business License
If you are a landlord with residential rental unit located in the District of Columbia you are required to have a business license and to register with the Rental Accommodations Division. Luckily, our company provides this service for a fee so that you don’t have to spend your valuable time learning all of the ins and outs of this process. By successfully procuring many of our client’s business licenses we were able to learn what works best and make the process efficient. If you hire us all you need to do is answer a few simple questions and provide us with a few original signatures.
City Fees
The District of Columbia has an application fee for the business license that depends on the number of rental units at that address.
Two-family rental –$283.80
Three-unit apartment – $453.20
Four-unit apartment – $508.20
Fees to CPM
Columbia Property Management charges a fee to coordinate getting your business license. We will explain the process to you, supply the forms, show you where to sign, conduct a site visit to evaluate the unit, advise you as to what repairs are needed to pass the mandatory inspection, visit the different agencies on your behalf, and meet the inspector at the property. This is much more than other companies will do for you!
Before we submit the documentation to the city, we will make sure that your rental does not require structural changes or major improvements so that you can make a sound business decision. By our estimates, which have been confirmed by real clients, you will spend 6-8 hours with this process if you do it on your own. Why should you face that learning curve for a one- time event when we can do it for you more efficiently?
Our fees vary depending on the number of rental units at that address.
* $800 for 2-unit
* $1500 for 3-units
* $1800 for 4-units.
NOTE: A valid Certificate of Occupancy is needed for 2 units or more per address. If none is on record, we will advise you of other third-party services who can help.
Preparations
To be able to submit an application for the business license the owner may not owe the District Government more than $100 or have any outstanding tax returns not filed or registered. This must be resolved before proceeding with the application process.
If you don’t presently have a Certificate of Occupancy you will need the document to be issued before applying for your business license (needed only for 2 units or more). Sometimes a Zoning inspection is required prior to issuing the Certificate of Occupancy, or C of O. Having a C of O issued in the last ten years re-issued with the current owners name won’t require a Zoning inspection and the city fee is approximately $85. Depending on the circumstances with the property, Columbia Property Management may be able to assist you with obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy, or we will refer you to a company who can.
Your rental unit must be maintained. Repairs or improvements may be needed in the rental in order to pass the mandatory safety inspection on the first try. We strive to have properties comply before applying for the business license on your behalf to ensure it will pass. We base our standards on the years of experience we have and the most common pitfalls that cause an inspection to fail Our pre-inspection is a “best effort” review. A sample of the items that are inspected are:
- Hard-wired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on each level (interconnected to the house electric).
- Window or ventilation in kitchen and bathrooms
- GFCI outlets in kitchen and bathrooms (outlets with the reset button)
- Keyless locks on all exit doors and security gates
- Emergency escape egress from all sleeping areas (door or window)
- No peeling or chipping paint
- No holes in walls, floors, or ceilings
- Hot water heater, heating and central air conditioning are in good working order.
- Recent hot water installations must include an expansion tank
Our company can help coordinate removing deficiencies such as these that risk causing your rental unit to fail the inspection. A formal proposal will be made and you can decide if you wish to move forward. We can also refer you to contractors and other companies for larger jobs.

Your rental unit must be structurally able to pass inspection. If it is not a legal two-family flat it will have to pass inspection as a single family dwelling. If you rent the basement separately, contact us. Each case is unique depending on the structure of the home and we will need additional information and possibly a site visit to determine if we can help you with the business license.
We would be grateful to count you as a client for our DC Business License service. Complete the form below to provide some basic information about the rental you wish to have licensed. We will follow up via email or phone to ask a few additional questions about the property and to provide you with next steps.

Washington DC Property Management Experts
Our local experience is your advantage in all aspects of the Washington DC residential rental real estate market.
Our in-depth knowledge of the details of the Washington DC market and submarkets, from tenant pool to price points and quality vendors ensures that you get the highest quality management for your rental investment.
QUESTIONS ABOUT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT?
If you’d like to learn more about our properties and what it’s like to work with Columbia Property Management, get in touch. We’d be happy to talk more about our rental properties, our application requirements, and our leasing process.
Columbia Property Management
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 92488, Washington, DC 20090
Main Office:
1140 3rd Street NE, Floor 2, Washington, DC 20002
(888) 857-6594
info@Columbiapm.com
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