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PR26-0312 • 2025

Revised Business Licensing Reform Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Revised Business Licensing Reform Emergency Declaration Resolution 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
2025-10-24
Official status
Approved
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on the impact of these changes on different types of businesses or mention an 'Emergency Amendment Act'.

Revised Business Licensing Rules for Emergencies

This resolution updates the business licensing process in Washington, D.C., to address recent issues and improve support for businesses.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes how notices are given about certain business license applications.
  • Creates a new basic business license that lasts four years.
  • Gives the Mayor power to refund fees if they were paid by mistake.
  • Allows people with expired licenses (more than nine months) to renew them after paying a fine.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Businesses in Washington, D.C.
  • The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
  • The Mayor

Terms To Know

BEST Act
A law that made changes to the District's business licensing system.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This emergency declaration only lasts until a permanent solution can be made.
  • The resolution does not specify how much money will be used for refunds.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Resolution R26-0219, Effective from Oct 07, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 011722

  2. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

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

  3. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  4. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Approved with Resolution Number R26-0219

  5. 2025-09-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    PR26-0312 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Revised Business Licensing Reform Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

1

A RESOLUTION

26-219

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

October 7, 2025

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the Advisory
Neighborhood Commissions Act of 1975 and Chapter 28 of Title 47 of District of
Columbia Official Code to modify the process for providing notice of certain business
license applications, re-establish a 4-year basic business license, authorize the Mayor to
issue refunds for erroneously paid business license fees, and allow persons whose
business licenses have expired for more than 9 months to renew their licenses upon
paying a fine.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Revised Business Licensing Reform Emergency Declaration
Resolution of 2025”.

Sec. 2. (a) The Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive Amendment Act of
2022, effective March 22, 2023 (D.C. Law 24-333; 70 DCR 1524) (“BEST Act”) streamlined
and modernized certain aspects of the District’s business licensing system.
(b) The BEST Act was partially funded through the Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act
of 2024, effective September 18, 2024 (D.C. Law 25-218; 71 DCR 8366), with funds from the
Fiscal Year 2026 budget covering the remainder of the BEST Act provisions. Thus, full
implementation of the law began on October 1, 2025.
(c) While the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (“DLCP”) implemented
the BEST Act on October 1, 2025, several significant licensing process items have arisen,
including the process for providing notice of certain business license applications and the need to
re-establish a 4-year basic business license, to authorize the Mayor to issue refunds for
erroneously paid business license fees, and to allow persons whose business licenses have
expired for more than 9 months to renew their licenses upon paying a fine.
(d) Failure to address these issues could have significant adverse impacts on businesses
and the economic growth of the District.

Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances
enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

2

Business Licensing Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 be adopted after a single
reading.

Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.