LLC Costs in District of Columbia (DC)
$524 all-in for your first year - $99 to file, $300 annual report, plus a registered agent. District of Columbia is $141 (37%) more expensive than the national average for first-year LLC costs.
Biennial report ($300) is due by April 1 every two years. DC has a high cost of living and business costs but provides access to the federal government market and a well-educated workforce. Basic Business License may also be required for certain business types.
Updated 2025 · Source: District of Columbia Secretary of State
Higher periodic report fee
Higher periodic report fee. Biennial Report at $300 sits in the dearer third of report fees among states that still charge one.Forming an LLC in District of Columbia costs about $524 in the first year, top-third of the 51-row book, about 37% above the national average, ranking #44 of 51. Fees are those published by the District of Columbia Secretary of State; registered agent is a $125/yr market-rate line, not a vendor quote.
According to the District of Columbia Secretary of State fee schedule; registered agent normalized at $125/yr. See methodology. How we calculate →
Secretary of State fee strip
Fee strip DC · District of Columbia SOS FY 2026 · rank #44
District of Columbia · $524 · file $99 · no pub
- AGENT $99
- PROC $300
- VS-AVG $524
- ARTICLES #44/51
- BIENNIAL near Maryland
- SCHEDULE 37% above avg
Dear-third stack: stamps derive from this state's Secretary of State fee schedule, not a recommendation of where to form. Read with tax planning against a dear SOS stack → · All 51 SOS fee rows →
How the dear-third $524 stack breaks down
- State filing fee $99
- Biennial Report (yr 1) $300
- Registered agent $125
| Cost Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State Filing Fee | $99 |
| Biennial Report | $300 |
| Registered Agent | $125/yr |
| Expedited Filing (optional) | $100 |
| Total, First Year | $524 |
Ongoing tax burden after formation
District of Columbia's 8.25% corporate tax rate ranks among the highest corporate tax burdens nationally, an ongoing cost that can outweigh the one-time $524 formation fee within a few profitable years.
Sources: Tax Foundation state corporate tax rates, Census ACS effective property tax rates.
District of Columbia LLC quick facts (dear third)
Similar Cost States
Lower-cost escapes
Jurisdictions with a lower first-year SOS-fee total than dear-third DC:
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified. Report a data error on this page.
Sources used on this page
- District of Columbia Secretary of State - LLC filing fee, annual-report requirement, and processing time. dcra.dc.gov
- Federation of Tax Administrators - cross-check of state fee and tax figures. taxadmin.org