STATE LICENSE
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Under 17 DCMR § 3900.1, anyone engaged in general contracting or construction management in the District must hold a basic business license with a General Contractor/Construction Manager endorsement. The license is issued in five classes by the largest single contract (17 DCMR § 3901.2) — unlimited, $10 million, $5 million, $2 million, and $500,000 — and each class carries a commercial general liability minimum from $2.5 million per occurrence down to $500,000 (17 DCMR § 3902.1), with the D.C. Treasurer named as additional insured. Applicants file a credit report for the business and every 25% owner (17 DCMR §§ 3901.5–3901.6). There is no exam.
The basic business license costs $49 for 6 months (available to GC/CM only), $99 for two years, or $198 for four (D.C. Code § 47-2851.04). A GC/CM licensee doing residential home improvement work does not need a separate home improvement license but must follow the home improvement contract rules (17 DCMR § 3900.7), and DLCP requires residential general contractors to designate a licensed home improvement salesperson. The General Contractor Licensing Amendment Act of 2024 (D.C. Law 25-244) would replace this with Board licensing, but it is marked 'Not Funded' and has not been implemented.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
The District has no separate county or city layer: DLCP issues the business license and trade licenses, DOB issues building and trade permits and inspects, and the Office of Planning's Historic Preservation Office must clear permits for exterior work on historic landmarks and in historic districts (D.C. Code § 6-1105). Work in public space — sidewalks, driveway aprons, dumpsters — needs a DDOT public space permit. In historic districts, work otherwise exempt from a permit (or eligible for an instant permit) still needs review.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every District of Columbia county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
D.C. Law 25-244 would add Board licensing and a $25,000 residential contractor bond, but the Code marks it 'Not Funded' — it has not taken effect.
Pick the class that covers your largest single contract; a Class E licensee may not build any single project over $500,000 (17 DCMR § 3901.2).
No GC/CM license issues to an applicant (or its officers and 25% owners) whose license was revoked for cause within the last four years (17 DCMR § 3901.10).
A practical sequence for a new general contracting contractor in District of Columbia. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
17 DCMR § 3909.2 sets a criminal penalty by reference to D.C. Code § 47-2846; civil infraction fines may be imposed instead (§ 3909.3).
A single violation of the insurance section is grounds to suspend or revoke the license.
Violating the basic business license law is a misdemeanor; civil infraction fines may be imposed instead.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia Washington (consolidated gov.) | District of Columbia Department of Buildings (DOB) — Permitting ↗ | Citizen Access Portal ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Class names conflict: 17 DCMR § 3901.2 (as retrieved) labels the classes A, B, C, D, and E, while DLCP's contractor and insurance pages list A, B, C, G, and H with the same dollar limits — a later rule amendment was not located · 17 DCMR § 3909.2 cites D.C. Code § 47-2846 for its $300 / 90-day penalty, but § 47-2846 was repealed by D.C. Law 24-333; § 47-2851.24 (applicable Oct. 1, 2025) now sets basic-business-license penalties · Whether DLCP still collects the § 3901.5 credit report on BOSS (DLCP's requirement list names insurance, certificate of occupancy, contract, corporate registration, and Clean Hands only) · Late-renewal penalties: D.C. Code § 47-2851.10 (as amended through D.C. Law 26-183, Sept. 25, 2026) sets $75 within 30 days, $150 from 30 days to 6 months, and $350 after 6 months, while DLCP's fee summary lists $75, $75, and $200 — DLCP's page appears stale · Whether any separate endorsement or application charge applies on BOSS beyond the $49 / $99 / $198 term fee; § 47-2851.03(c)(2) says endorsements carry no cost, but older DLCP endorsement pages listed higher totals and could not be opened (access denied) · 16 DCMR ch. 8 and 17 DCMR ch. 39 still name the DCRA Director; the functions moved to DLCP on October 1, 2022 — no amended regulation text was located
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.