Get a Boarding House License

NAICS CODE: 721310-1

NAICS DESCRIPTION: This classification applies if you use, maintain, or advertise a building or part of a building -- other than a hotel -- as an enclosure where meals and lunches are furnished for a consideration to five or more transients or borders who have sleeping accommodations upon the premises.

Endorsement Class: Housing - Transient

Legal Authority: DC Code: 47-2828; 47-2851 DC Municipal Regulation, Title 14, Chapter 11

License Duration: Two (2) Years

License Available Online: No

Category License Fee: Varies (see below)

• 1-4 units = $0
• 5-10 units = $ $208
• Each additional block of 10 units or fraction thereof = $45

Application Fee: $70.00

Endorsement Fee: $25.00

Technology Fee: 10 percent of total

Step-by-Step Application Requirements

Certificate of Occupancy/Home Occupancy for Compliance for Zoning Regulations

Before applying for your BBL, you'll need a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) or a Home Occupation Permit for the location where your business is conducted to demonstrate that your business does not conflict with building and zoning codes. (If your business is located in an office building, you may operate under the umbrella of the C of O issued to the owner of the building, as long as the C of O was issued for the entire building; check with your building owner or management company for the C of O holder name, number, and issue date.) If you have any questions about Certificates of Occupancy, please call Permit Operations Customer Service at (202) 442-4589.

NOTE: You DO NOT need to attach a copy of the Certificate of Occupancy to your application. You DO need to provide C of O number and issue date on your application.

STEP TWO: Corporate Registration

Corporation Division Requirements

If you are a corporation, partnership or limited liability company you must be registered in the District and in good standing. For instructions on how to register, please go to DCRA Corporate Registration Information Center. If you are a sole proprietor, no registration is necessary and you can skip this step. For more information, please call the Corporation Division at (202) 442-4432.

If you are not a resident of the District of Columbia, you'll need to appoint a Resident Agent or an Attorney-in-Fact who lives or works in an office in the District, who will be the official recipient of any financial, process, or legal notices that we need to send to you. If you are not a DC resident, please complete the Certified Resident Agent Appointment Form.

Every corporation needs to have a registered agent office in the District of Columbia. This office can but does not need to be the same as your place of business. Foreign corporations doing business in DC need to certify that their named registered agent is duly authorized to represent that corporation.

If your business uses a Trade Name, you'll need to register the name with DCRA and indicate both the trade name and the official business name (including its corporation, LLC, or partnership classification) if applicable.

STEP THREE: Taxes
Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) Registration
Before applying for your BBL, you'll also need to register your business with OTR and submit a copy of your tax registration certificate with your application. If you're not already registered, simply complete and file a Combined Business Tax Registration Application (Form FR500). You get all the necessary forms and submit your application online at the Business Tax Service Center. For more information, please call the Tax Customer Center at (202) 727-4829.

STEP FOUR: Clean Hands Certification
You'll also need to certify that you don't owe more than $100 to the District of Columbia government as a result of fees, penalties, interest, or taxes through completion of a Clean Hands form provided in your BBL application package. Section G in the BBL EZ Form or BBL EZ Form en Español must be completed and signed for your application to be processed. A signed form from the Office of Tax and Revenue may also be required.

STEP FIVE: Basic Business License Application
To make sure you get your BBL as quickly as possible, you must submit a properly completed BBL EZ Form after completing steps 1 through 4. All of your responses should be printed clearly in English.

Note on PDF Forms: To download and fill out BBL EZ form you should open the form and save to your desktop. We recommend you also rename the form as you save to your desktop. For most users, you should be able to save your work. If you cannot, you should print the form before closing.

STEP SIX: Specific Category Requirements

Fire Marshall Inspection
Your business is subject to inspection/approval by the DC Fire Marshall pursuant to DC Municipal Regulations and the DC Code. All businesses that manufacture, wholesale, warehouse, distribute, sell or use toxic or flammable materials or provide services to large audiences (theatres, restaurants, and public halls) are subject to inspection to ensure the safety of customers, employees, and property.
Applicant shall obtain approval from the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (FEMS) Department, Fire Prevention Inspection Division. For additional information, please call (202) 727-1614 or visit the office located at 441 4th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20002 to schedule an inspection.

Department of Health Inspection/Approval
Your business activity must be inspected and/or receive approval to operate by the Department of Health (DOH) Environmental Health Administration; Bureau of Food, Drug, and Radiation Protection (Food Protection Division), located at 51 N Street, NE, Washington, DC, or call the Food Protection Division at (202) 535-2180 for DOH approval procedures.

Compliance with the District of Columbia Housing Codes
The housing accommodations must be in compliance with the District of Columbia Housing Regulations, District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 11.

STEP SEVEN: Additional Business Activities

If you conduct more than one business activity (endorsement type), you'll need to indicate those activities on your BBL application. You might have any number of additional business activities connected to this particular license endorsement.

Special Notes: If your business includes any of the above endorsement activities, you can get additional fact sheets and application forms by contacting DCRA's License Center at (202) 442-4311, or by email at bbl.infocenter@dc.gov.

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