Hiring a Business Lawyer in District of Columbia
How to form an LLC in District of Columbia, the state fees and yearly filings, how to check a lawyer's license, and the state bar's fee rules. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in District of Columbia: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | When a lawyer has not regularly represented the client, the basis or rate of the fee, the scope of the representation and the expenses the client will owe must be communicated in writing before or within a reasonable time after the representation starts. Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them; the agreement must be in writing and state how the fee is figured, including percentages on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, whether expenses come out before or after the fee is calculated, and whether the client owes expenses regardless of outcome. At the end, the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and the client's share. D.C.'s Rule 1.5(d) bars contingent fees only for representing a criminal defendant; unlike many states, it does not include a domestic relations ban. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The D.C. Bar's Fee Dispute Program, run by the Attorney/Client Arbitration Board (ACAB), handles fee disputes between clients and lawyers through arbitration (with mediation volunteers). A petition filing packet, rules of procedure and a filing-fees page are provided. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The D.C. Bar Clients' Security Fund, overseen by five trustees appointed by the D.C. Court of Appeals, reimburses clients up to $100,000 for losses caused by a D.C. Bar member's dishonest conduct (theft such as embezzlement or conversion), not for negligent or ineffective services. The lawyer must have acted as your attorney or in another fiduciary role, and you must first use other available ways to recover (such as demanding repayment, insurance or a lawsuit). Submit a signed, notarized application with supporting documents online, by mail (901 4th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001) or by email; final decisions generally take about six months. Source: D.C. Bar, Clients' Security Fund |
District of Columbia rules to know first
| How to form an LLC | File a certificate of organization with DLCP's Corporations Division, online through CorpOnline, by mail, or in person at the Business License Center (1100 4th Street SW). Checks are payable to "DC Treasurer." DLCP says expedited service may be limited or unavailable for mail-in filings and is available for certain web filings on CorpOnline. After forming, a business registers for taxes with the Office of Tax and Revenue (FR-500) and then obtains its business license from DLCP. The pages reviewed do not state a standard processing time. |
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| LLC filing fee | The fee for a domestic LLC's certificate of organization is $99.00. Optional expedited service costs an extra $100 (same day) or $50 (3-day); the expedited fee is required for walk-in customers served at the Business License Center. |
| Registered agent | An LLC must designate a registered agent in the District, either a commercial registered agent or a noncommercial registered agent (name and address). Designating an agent is the entity's affirmation that the agent has consented to serve. A change of registered agent by the entity costs $50.00. Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
| Annual report | DC requires a biennial report (every two years), not an annual report. The first is due by April 1 of the year after the LLC is formed, and later reports by April 1 of every second year after that. The report lists the registered agent, principal office, and people who control or direct the entity. The fee is $300.00, plus a $100.00 late fee if filed late. Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
| Operating agreement | DC law defines an operating agreement as the agreement of all members, including a sole member, "whether oral, in a record, implied, or in any combination thereof," so it does not have to be written. It is not among the filings listed on DLCP's LLC fee schedule. Whether an operating agreement is mandatory was not stated in the section reviewed. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: D.C. Code § 29-801.02 |
| Closing an LLC | A domestic LLC files a statement of dissolution with DLCP. The fee listed is $5.00. |
Full District of Columbia guide
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The D.C. Bar's Lawyer Referral Service, MyDCLawyer (mydclawyer.org), lets you describe your legal situation online; an AI-based matching system then lists up to five participating attorneys whose profiles match your issue. Leave out names, contact details, financial information, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. "There is no charge to anyone seeking attorney referrals through MyDCLawyer"; referrals are not free legal services, and attorneys' own fees are not stated. D.C. Bar phone: 202-737-4700. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The D.C. Bar's "Find a Member" directory provides information about a specific attorney who is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, including licensing status and public contact information. The D.C. Bar also issues certificates concerning discipline. Certificate concerning discipline: https://my.dcbar.org/certificates Source: D.C. Bar, Find a Member |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Ethics complaints about D.C. lawyers go to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC), created by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to investigate and prosecute them: 515 5th Street NW, Building A, Suite 117, Washington, DC 20001; phone 202-638-1501. ODC cannot represent you, give legal advice, refer you to a lawyer or change a court's decision. The D.C. Bar suggests first talking openly with the lawyer if the problem may be a miscommunication. Public disciplinary decisions and pending cases are posted on the D.C. Bar site. Disciplinary decisions: https://www.dcbar.org/attorney-discipline/disciplinary-decisions ; Pending cases: https://www.dcbar.org/attorney-discipline/pending-cases |
All legal help in District of Columbia · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.