How to Conduct an District of Columbia (DC) Business Entity Search

The Washington, DC, business entity search, commonly named the business filings search, is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn about existing business entities in the state. Whether you’re an established business owner who needs to check if a business partner is in good standing with the state or a soon-to-be entrepreneur who wants to check business name availability, this search is a go-to tool.

But using the business search can feel a little overwhelming, especially if you’ve never used a tool like this before. That’s where this guide comes in. We’ll give you a step-by-step guide to running a business search. We’ll also cover important business name guidelines and what to do after searching a business name.

Let’s get started.

DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) Contact Information

Address: 1100 4th St SW, Washington, DC 20024	Office Hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and Thursday 10:30 am to 4:30 pm In-person service stops accepting visitors at 4:00 pm.
Telephone: (202) 671-4500	Website: https://dlcp.dc.gov/

Washington, DC, Business Name Guidelines

When you’re starting a business, one of the most important things you’ll do is pick your business name. And like other jurisdictions, the District of Columbia has several rules about naming your business. 

First, your name needs to be different from the names of other registered companies in Washington, DC, including both domestic and foreign corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and so on. This is one of the simplest but most important naming standards. 

That said, uniqueness isn’t the only naming guideline to adhere to. Here are a few other rules your DC business name should follow: 

• Your business name needs to include a designator. For example, corporations need to include a word like “corporation,” “incorporated,” “company,” “limited,” or an abbreviation of one of those words. Meanwhile, LLCs need to include the phrase “limited liability company” or “limited company.” You could also use the abbreviation “LC” or “LLC” with or without periods. 
• Your name can’t include words like “bank,” “banking,” “insurance, or “credit union” without the Mayor’s pre-approval. 
• Your name can’t be the same as a government agency (of the district or of the federal government). It also can’t be so similar to these names that customers might confuse you with a government office.

If you’re in a licensed trade or profession, keep in mind that you’ll need to meet any naming rules that your industry has in place, too. If your business name doesn’t meet these requirements, you’ll need to pick a new one.

How to Find the Business Entity Search Page

Unlike some jurisdictions, the District of Columbia doesn’t make its business search page accessible to just anyone on the internet. Instead, the District keeps the search tool behind a login page on their website, the CorpOnline portal by the DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. If you have an account already, you’ll simply need to log in.

If you don’t have an account, don’t worry. You can sign up for a free account with DLCP. You’ll need to provide some basic personal information such as your name, email, and address. You’ll need to confirm your email and create a password to finish your account creation. Keep this information on hand for later — you’ll also use this account for other business tasks down the line.

Whether you’ve created a new CorpOnline account through Access DC or logged into an existing one, head to your homepage. Then, scroll down to the bottom until you find the section labeled “Find Your Organization.” This is the Business Filings Search.

Ready to learn how to use the search page? Let’s get started.

How to Run a Business Name Search or Trade Name Search

The Washington, DC, business filings search actually gives you several different search options to choose from, including an entity name search, file number search, trade number search, and even a registered agent name search. In this section, we’ll cover how to run a name search by entity name or trade name (the two function similarly). But if you want to learn more about the other search types, keep scrolling.

Step 1: Set up your search

When you open your Access DC account and scroll to the search section, you can simply type your search terms and get started. But it’s better to click the “Search Options” button, which will pull up some filters and the search type drop-down bar.

Set the “Search Type” drop-down menu to either “Entity Name” or “Trade Name.” From there, you have the option to add some filters.

To start, you can change the “Search Depth” category as follows:

• Exact Match: This search determines if any business names on file are identical to your search terms.
• Starts With: This depth setting retrieves business names that begin with the same word(s) as your search terms.
• Contains: This setting acts more like a keyword search; it will retrieve those business names that include the word(s) you searched somewhere in the name.

You can also use the “Entity Status” filter to limit your search results to include a particular business status, such as active, dissolved, canceled, and more.

Choose and set any search filters you want to use. Then, type your search terms in and hit “Search.”

Step 2: Review your search results

The business search tool will pull up all business names that match your search terms. For example, here’s what our results looked like when we ran an entity name search using the “Contains” filter and the search term “Smith Construction.”

On this first results page, you’ll see the organization name and file number for each business entity that matches your search terms. You’ll also see the date each company registered, its status, entity type, and whether or not it’s domestic to DC.

If there’s a company you’d like to learn more about, click on its business name to pull up its Entity Info page.

As you scroll this second page, you’ll be able to see more information about the company, including its business address and the name and address of its registered agent. You can also use the menu at the top of the page to review the company’s report filing history, see any trade names it has, and check some beneficial owner information.

How to Check Name Availability Using the Name Search

If you’re starting a new LLC or corporation, it’s your responsibility to check that your desired name doesn’t infringe on any existing business names. DC doesn’t offer a dedicated name availability search tool, but you can use the entity name search to get a pretty good idea of whether your name is available.

To get started, you’ll need to set the search to “Entity Name.” Then, set the “Search Depth” category to “Exact Match.” Then, type in the business name you’re hoping to use.

Ideally, you’ll get a message that says, “No results were found.” If that happens, there’s a good chance that there are no other business names that match yours. But if not, the search tool will pull up a listing for the company that has a claim to that name. If that happens, you’ll need to edit your name so it’s distinct or pick another one.

Keep in mind that this search is not a guarantee that your desired name is available or not; the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs will make the final call on name availability when you file your formation documents or make a name reservation.

How to Search by File Number

The most direct way to look up a specific business is to run a file number search. DLCP assigns a unique filing number to each registered business, and you can use that number to look up the company’s information.

To get started, set the search type to “File Number.” Then, carefully type the file number and click “Search.” As long as you typed the number correctly, then the search will pull up the matching business. As before, you can click on the company’s name to review more information about it.

How to Search by Registered Agent Name

The DC business database search also allows you to look up a company by the name of its registered agent. To get started, you’ll need to change the search type to “Registered Agent Name.”

Next, type in as much of the registered agent’s name as you know; if you don’t know the full name, be sure to use the “Contains” search depth setting. Then, click “Search.”

The search tool will pull up the name of each business entity that’s represented by a registered agent with that name. For example, here’s what our results list looked like when we searched the name “John Smith.”

This page will show you the name of each represented business and the agent’s full name. Then you’ll see the file number, effective date, business type, address, and whether the business is domestic to DC. If needed, you can click on a company’s name to review additional information about it, its filing history, and more.

What to Do After Searching Business Names in Washington, DC

After you’ve come up with a name and searched it, you’re probably feeling like you’ve done a lot of legwork. You’d hate for that hard work to go to waste, right? Here are some steps you can take to protect your DC business name and make the most of it. 

Reserve your Washington, DC business name (optional)

If you’ve picked the perfect business name but you’re not quite ready to file your business formation paperwork, the District of Columbia allows you to reserve a business name.

You can file for a name reservation by filing a Name Reservation Registration and Transfer form with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. There’s currently a $50 filing fee to reserve a business name for both LLCs and corporations. 

After your paperwork is filed and approved, your name reservation will be valid for 120 days. This step is optional, and you should only pursue it if you’ve picked a name but aren’t ready to file your formation paperwork yet.

Form an LLC or register your business

One of the best ways to protect your business name is to register your business. After you register a business under your chosen name, no one else in DC will be able to register their own company with the same name. 

Registering a Washington, DC, business is an important legal process. Learn more about starting an LLC in the District of Columbia. 

Get a domain name that matches

You want your customers to find your business website easily. That means you need a domain name that matches your business name as closely as possible. A matching domain will help your brand maintain consistency both in person and online.

If you’re struggling to come up with a domain name (or the one that matches your name is already taken), try using a domain name generator. A generator can help you come up with a domain that matches your brand image. 

Set up your business online

Today, you can’t run a business without a good digital footprint. A good business website is a decent starting point. But don’t stop there; set up social media accounts like a Facebook page, a TikTok profile, and an Instagram account. Make sure your business name is included on each account so your brand is consistent across your online presence.

Last but not least, set up a Google Business Profile for your business (or claim it if it already exists). This profile will help you direct customers to your website or your store location. Plus, it’ll help you respond to customer reviews and build a good brand reputation in the U.S. Capitol.

Trademark your business name (optional)

If you want the most robust protections for your business name, you could pursue trademark registration. Trademarks can be registered at the federal level (DC doesn’t have a district-level trademark office). 

Getting a trademark can be pretty complicated and time-consuming. If you go this route, it’s highly recommended to work with a trademark attorney.