How to Find a Licensed Business in the District of Columbia
The District of Columbia, our nation's capital, is often associated with government agencies. However, there are also thousands of businesses that serve this city. Finding a company that is licensed in the D.C. area can be accomplished in a few easy steps.
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Instructions
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Check with licensing authorities. The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs oversees licensing of businesses and professionals in D.C. Check out the agency website (dcra.dc.gov) to find out if the company you are dealing with is required to have a license and is in compliance. Call the office at 202-442-4400 if you need further information on the company. Located at 1100 4th St. SW, the office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
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Search corporate records. The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs also offers online organization registration for corporations in D.C. Go to this website (mblr.dc.gov/corp) and enter the company name in the search space to find records on when the company was incorporated in D.C., its current status and names of owners.
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Check with the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau of Washington, D.C. and Eastern Pennsylvania can assist you in researching companies. Go to the BBB website (dc-easternpa.bbb.org) and click on the "Check out a business" link to find a complaint history on the company and request a reliability report.
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Contact the D.C. Chamber of Commerce (dcchamber.org) to see if the company you are researching is a member. Chamber officials may be able to offer details about the company even if the business is not a member. Contact the chamber at 202-347-7201 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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References
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