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B26-0363 • 2025

Revised Business Licensing Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Revised Business Licensing Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
at the request of the Mayor
Last action
2026-01-23
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes details that are not fully supported in the official summary, such as specific impacts on businesses renewing licenses late.

Revised Business Licensing Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This act modifies the notification requirements for certain business licenses and authorizes new types of basic business licenses, late renewals, and refunds for erroneously paid fees.

What This Bill Does

  • Modifies the notice requirement for entertainment business licenses to be sent to Advisory Neighborhood Commissions by first-class mail or electronic means.
  • Adds a new type of basic business license that lasts four years instead of the usual two or six months.
  • Allows businesses with expired licenses to renew them up to nine months after they expire.
  • Authorizes the mayor to refund fees if they were paid erroneously.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Businesses in Washington D.C. that need licenses for their operations.
  • The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, which issues these licenses.
  • Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, which receive notices about certain business license applications.

Terms To Know

Advisory Neighborhood Commission
A local group that gives advice to the government on community matters.
Refund
Money given back when a payment was made in error or under certain conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act is only temporary and will expire after 225 days from the date it takes effect.
  • The exact impact on businesses that renew their licenses late is not fully explained.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0078, Effective from Dec 31, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 000611, Expires on Aug 13, 2026

  2. 2025-11-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0197 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 012889

  3. 2025-11-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  4. 2025-11-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  5. 2025-11-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0197

  6. 2025-10-30 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Nov 14, 2025

  7. 2025-10-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0363 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council with comments from the Committee on Public Works and Operations

  10. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  11. 2025-09-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0363 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Revised Business Licensing Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-197
TN THE COUNCIL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
NOVEMBER 13,2025
Toamend,onatemporarybasis,theAdvisoryNeighborhoodCommissionsActof1975tomodifythenoticerequirementforcertainbusinesslicenses;andtoamendChapter28ofTitle47oftheDistrictofColumbiaOfficialCodetoauthorize4-yearbasicbusinesslicenses,toallowlicenseestorenewtheirexpiredlicensesafter9months,andtoauthorizetheMayortoissuerefundsforerroneouslypaidbusinesslicensefees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmaybecitedasthe“RevisedBusinessLicensingReformTemporaryAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.Section13(q)oftheAdvisoryNeighborhoodCommissionsActof1975,effectiveMarch26,1976(D.C.Law1-58;D.C.OfficialCode§1-309.10(q)),isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(q)(1)Beforegrantingorrenewingalicenseforatheater,cinema,skatingrink,dancehall,exhibition,lecture,orotherentertainment,theDepartmentofLicensingandConsumerProtectionshailgive30-daysnoticebyfirst-classmailorelectronicmailtotheaffectedCommission.Thenoticeshallcontainthenameoftheapplicantandadescription,bystreetnumber,orotherplaindesignation,oftheparticularlocationforwhichthelicenseisrequested.“(2)Pursuanttosubsection(d)ofthissection,theDepartmentofLicensingandConsumerProtectionshallgivegreatweighttotheCommission’srecommendationswhendeterminingwhethertograntorrenewthelicenses.”
Sec.3.Subchapter I-A of Chapter28ofTitle 47of the Districtof Columbia Official
Codeisamendedasfollows:(a)Thetableofcontentsisamendedbyaddinganewsectiondesignationtoreadasfollows:

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“47-2851.25.Refundoferroneouslypaidfees.”.(b)Section47-2851.04isamendedasfollows:(1)Subseetion(a)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Paragraph(2)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandthephrase“;and”initsplace.
(B)A newparagraph(3)isaddedtoreadasfollows:(3)$198fora4-yearlicense.”.(2)Subsection(b)isamendedasfollows:(A)Paragraph(1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingina semicoloninitsplace.
(B)Paragraph(2)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingthephrase“;and”initsplace.
(C)Anewparagraph(3)isaddedtoreadasfollows:““(3)A 4-yearlicense,apersonshallpayalicensefeeof$198.”.
(c)Section47-2851.07(c)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(c)Licensesissuedunderthissubchaptershallbevalidforaperiodof6months,2years,or4years.”.(d)Section47-2851.10(b)(3)(B)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“months,butJessthan9months,may”andinsertingthephrase“monthmay”initsplace.(e)A newsection47-2851,25isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“§47-2851.25,Refundoferroneouslypaidfees.“TheMayormayrefundanylicensefeeortax,orportionthereof,erroneouslypaidorcollectedunderthischapter.”.
Sec.4,Applicability
ThisactshallapplyasofOctober1,2025.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheChiefFinancialOfficerasthefiscal
impactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.6.Effectivedate.(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)and30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
asprovidedinsection602(c)(1)ofDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedbyDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-206.02(c)(1)).(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
\irman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

APPROVED
NOVEMBER 13, 2025

COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

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