The short answer is no.  The state of District of Columbia does not legally require a lawyer to form a District of Columbia Corporation.

Our detailed Incorporation Information page may help you understand some of the implications of forming a District of Columbia Corporation.  However, if there is anything about Incorporating in District of Columbia that you're not sure about you should seek the advice of a competent District of Columbia lawyer, a District of Columbia accountant, or both before you Incorporate in District of Columbia. 

Once you have made the decision to Incorporate in District of Columbia, a District of Columbia lawyer can file your documents and act as a middle man for a few hundred dollars an hour; or you can use an online service provider like All Business Documents to perform these services and save money that you can use in your new District of Columbia Corporation.

You are not legally required to reserve a Company Name for a new District of Columbia Corporation before you submit your application to Incorporate in District of Columbia.

Whether or not you need to reserve a company name for your new District of Columbia Corporation depends entirely on your business situation.  The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs uses names on a first come first served basis.  So if you think that someone may snatch the Company Name that you have in mind, you may want to reserve that District of Columbia Company Name.

If the Name you have chosen for your new District of Columbia Corporation is already in use by a currently active District of Columbia Corporation or LLC, and you still want to use that Corporation Name, then you will have to register a DBA Name with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  "DBA" is an abbreviation for "Doing Business As."

In District of Columbia a DBA Name is called a Trade Name. We verify that the Name you have chose for your new District of Columbia Corporation is available before we submit your Incorporation filing to the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  If necessary we can register a Trade Name in District of Columbia for you so that you can open your new District of Columbia business as quickly as possible.

1. Choose a name for your District of Columbia Corporation
   
   Your District of Columbia Corporation name can identify the type of products and services your business will provide; or it may be the name of the founder; or it can be a combination of the two or something else.
   
   In any case, the District of Columbia Corporation name that you choose must be distinguishable from the name of any other registered District of Columbia Corporation or other business entity and the name must also be different from any reserved names on record with the state of District of Columbia.  Your District of Columbia Corporation name must not imply that it was formed for a purpose other than that stated in your Articles of Incorporation; and your District of Columbia Corporation name must not be a name that is likely to mislead the public.
   
   The name of a District of Columbia Corporation must include the word "Corporation" or "Incorporated" or an abbreviation of one of these words.
   
   It's important to choose a good name for your District of Columbia Corporation because if you want to change it after you incorporate you will have to file amended Articles of Incorporation with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (and pay a fee).
   As part of our District of Columbia Incorporation services we will:

   • Check to make sure that your District of Columbia Corporation name is available
   • Make sure your District of Columbia Corporation name conforms to state of District of Columbia regulations
   • Reserve your District of Columbia Corporation name with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs if necessary
2. Select an official address and a Registered Agent for your District of Columbia Corporation
   
   Every District of Columbia Corporation must have an address that is physically located in the state of District of Columbia.  This address is "registered" with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  The Registered Address is where official and legal correspondence can be delivered.
   
   The individual or company that is registered with the state of District of Columbia to receive all correspondence on behalf of the District of Columbia Corporation is called a "Registered Agent".  You may act as your own Registered Agent, however, many District of Columbia Corporations hire a Registered Agent because they don't have a physical address within the state of District of Columbia or to provide a distinct level of privacy.
   We offer Registered Agent Services as part of our District of Columbia Incorporation Services.
3. Choose a Board of Directors for your District of Columbia Corporation
   
   All District of Columbia Corporations are required to have a Board of Directors.  Directors are the people who will set policies for your District of Columbia Corporation and manage the business and its resources.  In the majority of small corporations directors are the owners. The Articles of Incorporation or Corporate Bylaws may define specific qualifications for Directors. 
   
   The Board of Directors is responsible for creating rules, approving budgets and distributing profits to shareholders. One of the most important duties of the Board of Directors is electing Officers for your District of Columbia Corporation.  The same person may be a Director and an Officer at the same time.  Directors need not be residents of the state of District of Columbia or shareholders of the District of Columbia Corporation unless the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws require it.
   
   Normally Directors for your District of Columbia Corporation are elected for a term of one year.  Elections are held at the annual meeting of Shareholders.  The Directors serve until the next annual Shareholders meeting.
   
   
4. Decide who will be Officers for your District of Columbia Corporation
   
   The Board of Directors elects Officers for your District of Columbia Corporation in accordance with the Corporate Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation.  Officers serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors of the District of Columbia Corporation.  Officers handle the day to day operation of the District of Columbia Corporation.
   
   Unless specifically prohibited by the Corporate Bylaws or Articles of Incorporation, in a District of Columbia Corporation the same person may hold more than one Corporate Office at the same time.  However, there are certain legal affairs in which the same person cannot act in more than one capacity.
   
   One Officer - usually the Secretary - is given responsibility for preparing Minutes of Directors and Shareholders meetings and for authenticating records for the District of Columbia Corporation. 
   
   
5. Determine how you want your District of Columbia Corporation to be taxed
   
   The District of Columbia Corporate Income Tax Rate is %.   You may form an S Corporation in District of Columbia.  S Corporations may "pass through" all corporate profits to the shareholders (owners) who then pay tax at their applicable personal rate.  S Corporations do not pay any District of Columbia Corporate Income Tax.
   If you choose to be taxed as an S Corporation, we can prepare the S Corporation election form for your District of Columbia Corporation and include it with your Incorporation documents.
   District of Columbia Corporate Tax Information
6. File Articles of Incorporation with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
   
   In order to form a Corporation in District of Columbia you must file Articles of Incorporation with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  The Articles of Incorporation must include certain specific information about your District of Columbia business. If the Articles do not conform exactly to state of District of Columbia requirements they will be rejected.  You may subsequently amend the Articles of Incorporation for your District of Columbia Corporation but you will have to pay a fee to the state of District of Columbia in order to make the changes official.
   
   
7. Get a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
   
   A Federal Employer Identification Number, also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, is used by the IRS to identify a business entity.  An FEIN is like a Social Security Number for your District of Columbia Corporation.  All District of Columbia Corporations are required to have an FEIN.
   As part of our District of Columbia Incorporation Services we can obtain a Federal Tax ID (EIN) for your new District of Columbia Corporation.
8. Issue Stock Certificates to the Initial Shareholders
   
   Corporate stock is evidence of ownership of a District of Columbia Corporation.  When you form your District of Columbia Corporation, you will need to determine what type of stock and the number of shares of each type that you want to authorize.  You do not have to sell the number of shares that are authorized.  Many small District of Columbia Corporations hold 100% of the shares.
   
   Stockholders in a District of Columbia Corporation are entitled to voting rights or dividends of the Corporate profits or both.  Whoever owns over 50% of the stock of the District of Columbia Corporation is able to make all Corporate business decisions.  District of Columbia Corporations usually hold at least 51% of the corporate stock in order to retain control of the District of Columbia Corporation.
   

1. Conduct an initial Meeting of the Board of Directors and adopt Corporate Bylaws
   
   The Board of Directors holds an initial meeting to elect Officers, authorize issuance of stock and adopt the Corporate Bylaws.  Bylaws are the internal rules of your District of Columbia Corporation.  They are adopted by the Board of Directors and vary widely from Corporation to Corporation.  Commonly bylaws include the number of seats on the board of directors; how Directors are elected; how meetings of Directors and Shareholders are to be conducted; what Officers the District of Columbia Corporation will have and a description of each of their duties. 
   
   As your company grows over time, you may amend your bylaws as necessary.  Bylaws generally cannot be amended by the Board of Directors unilaterally.  A vote by the majority of Stockholders of the District of Columbia Corporation is usually required to amend the Corporate Bylaws.  Bylaws may include any rules for managing the business and conducting corporate affairs.  Almost anything may be written into the Bylaws, however, the Bylaws must not be in violation of any federal or District of Columbia law or the District of Columbia Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.  A copy of the Corporate Bylaws should be maintained at the Corporation's principal District of Columbia office.
   
   
2. Open a Business Bank Account in District of Columbia
   
   It's very important that you have a separate business bank account for your District of Columbia Corporation.  Mixing personal and business funds can get you in a lot of trouble with the tax man down the line.  It's a good idea to contact the bank before you open a business bank account.  Specific requirements vary from bank to bank.
   
   
3. Obtain Business Licenses from the cities and counties in which you plan to do business
   
   Note that forming a District of Columbia Corporation doesn't take the place of obtaining a business license, tax registration certificate, or other required business permits.  A District of Columbia Corporation merely creates an ownership structure that limits the owners' personal liability.  You may still need to take care of getting set up to do business with your local government.
   
   Depending on the nature of the business and the location of your District of Columbia Corporation you may need to get one or more city business licenses or permits.  The business licenses or permits that are required for your District of Columbia Corporation vary depending on your business activities and the specific locations within the state of District of Columbia in which you want to conduct business.
   
   If your District of Columbia Corporation will be selling products in District of Columbia you may be required to obtain a Reseller's Permit from the appropriate District of Columbia state agency.  If your District of Columbia Corporation will be selling products in District of Columbia you will also be responsible for all applicable local and state of District of Columbia sales taxes if there are any.
   We can research and prepare the necessary forms for your required business licenses and permits and include them in your District of Columbia Incorporation package
4. Hold Meetings of Shareholders and Directors of each year
   
   Every District of Columbia Corporation must hold corporate and shareholder meetings, at least annually, and must keep minutes of each meeting on file.  A copy of the minutes is evidence that the meetings took place and includes all resolutions that were adopted.  The minutes of each meetings must be open for inspection by any Shareholder or Director.  This meeting requirement is often overlooked and comes into play when the District of Columbia Corporation is challenged for any reason.  Keeping proper meeting minutes and documenting resolutions made and approved by the Directors is a formality that could save your District of Columbia Corporation a lot of potential trouble.
   We can transcribe the minutes of any meeting of your District of Columbia Corporation into a form that complies with all District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs requirements.
5. File the required District of Columbia Corporation reports
   
   Every District of Columbia Corporation must file its first Biennial Report with the DC Secretary of State by April 1 of the year following the year in which the Washington DC Corporation was initially approved by the District of Columbia Secretary of State.
   
   Every Washington DC Corporation must file a Biennial Report with the District of Columbia Secretary of State EVERY 2 YEARS.
   
   The Washington DC Corporation Biennial Report is due at the District of Columbia Secretary of State by April 1 every other year after the District of Columbia Corporation files its initial Biennial Report with the DC Secretary of State.
   
   If a Washington DC Corporation fails to file its Corporation Biennial Report with the DC Secretary of State by the April 1 due date the District of Columbia Secretary of State will impose late filing fees on the Washington DC Corporation.
   
   
   We can fill out and file any Biennial Report with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs after your District of Columbia Corporation gets going.
   
   
   
6. Keep proper records of your District of Columbia Corporation on file
   
   Keep the following records on file and available at the principal business office of your District of Columbia Corporation:
   
   
   • Names and addresses of all Directors and Officers of the District of Columbia Corporation
   • Articles of Incorporation for the District of Columbia Corporation and any Amendments to them
   • Corporate Bylaws for the District of Columbia Corporation and any Amendments to them
   • List of current shareholders of the District of Columbia Corporation.  If shareholders change, keep a record of old shareholders and how stock was transferred.
   • Minutes of all Meetings of Shareholders and Directors
   • Copies of any Corporate Resolutions which have been adopted by the District of Columbia Corporation
   • Copies of all tax returns and Annual Reports for the District of Columbia Corporation for the last 3 years

In order to Incorporate in District of Columbia you'll need the following information about your new Company:

• The name of your new District of Columbia Corporation along with your second choice of a name in case the name that you want is not available
  
• Physical address of the Corporation office in District of Columbia (not a PO Box)
  
• Name and address of your District of Columbia Registered Agent (not a PO Box)
  
• A description of the nature of the business you are planning to operate with the District of Columbia Corporation
• Names and addresses of the initial Directors of the District of Columbia Corporation
• The number of shares of stock that the District of Columbia Corporation will be authorized to issue
• The par value of the shares which the District of Columbia Corporation will be authorized to issue

Remember - ALL the information that you provide when you Incorporate in District of Columbia becomes part of the public record.  Our data entry forms include the absolute minimum amount of information that is required in order to Form a new Corporation in District of Columbia.

Processing times for new District of Columbia Corporation applications vary depending on the work load of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs's staff.  We've found that normal processing of new District of Columbia Articles of Incorporation takes the state around 7-10 business days.  Add 2-3 days for the time period for shipping the final documents by mail.  Choosing our Express Mail option can shave a couple of days off the total processing time for your District of Columbia LLC.
We are dependent on, and have no control over, the staff and systems of the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

In our experience 7-10 business days is the time it usually takes the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to process a new District of Columbia Corporation application. We get your District of Columbia Corporation application to the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs ASAP. Once it is at the state we have no control over the new District of Columbia Corporation application process.

The District of Columbia Secretary of State will process your new DC Corporation filing in three days for an additional $50. For $100 the Secretary of State will process your new DC Incorporation filing in one day.

The state of District of Columbia charges $270.00 to Incorporate in DC.  This is the cost of filing and getting a Certified Copy of your Articles of Incorporation from the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.  If you choose All Business Documents to help you Incorporate in District of Columbia our processing fees are $125.00.  We start processing your new District of Columbia Corporation order as soon as we get it.

Total cost includes:

• DC Name Check and Reservation
• Prepare Articles of Incorporation
• File Articles of Incorporation with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
• Certified Copies of Articles
• District of Columbia Corporation Checklist
• Priority Mail Delivery
• Unlimited Customer Support

Generally, if you are required to obtain some kind of license before you can market your skills in the state of District of Columbia then you will most likely need to form a District of Columbia Professional Corporation.

Attorneys, architects, engineers, public accountants, nurses and physicians, among others, may require registration as a Professional Corporation with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

Depending on exactly what it is that you want to do in District of Columbia, approval from a specific District of Columbia state agency or board may be required before the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will approve a new District of Columbia Professional Corporation filing.  This could add to the total processing time for a new District of Columbia Corporation.

You want to do business in the state of District of Columbia but are registered as a Domestic Corporation in another state.  In order to legally conduct business in the state of District of Columbia you must register with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs as a District of Columbia Foreign Corporation.  The process of registering as a Foreign Corporation in the state of District of Columbia is called District of Columbia Corporation Foreign Qualification. 

The process of District of Columbia Corporation Foreign Qualification is similar to the process of forming a Domestic Corporation in the state of District of Columbia.  Your original formation documents (usually called Articles of Incorporation) and Corporate Bylaws apply to your District of Columbia Foreign Corporation.  The Board of Directors and Officers of your Domestic Corporation have the same roles in the District of Columbia Foreign Corporation.