Title 47 — Taxation, Licensing, Permits, Assessments, and Fees. [Enacted title]

(a)(1) When a board, or the Mayor, after investigation but prior to a hearing, has cause to believe that a person is violating any provision of this chapter and the violation has caused or may cause immediate and irreparable harm to the public, the board or the Mayor may issue an…

Prosecutions for violations of any of the provisions of this chapter, or of any section added hereto from time to time by the Council of the District of Columbia, or of any regulation made by the Council under authority of this chapter, shall be on information in the Superior Cou…

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter, or additions thereto made from time to time by the Council of the District of Columbia, where no specific penalty is fixed, or the violation of any regulation made by the Council under the authority of this chapter, shal…

Any violation of any provision of law or regulation issued hereunder which is repealed by this chapter and any liability arising under such provisions or regulations may, if the violation occurred or the liability arose prior to such repeal, be prosecuted to the same extent as if…

If any provision of this chapter is declared unconstitutional or the applicability thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the chapter and the applicability of such provision to other persons and circumstances shall not be affected …

The Mayor of the District of Columbia is authorized to refund any license fee or tax, or portion thereof, erroneously paid or collected under this chapter.

(a) The Mayor is authorized, in accordance with [subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2], to: (1) Promulgate rules to govern the business of furnishing towing services for motor vehicles; and (2) Amend or repeal any provision of chapter 4 of Title 16 of the District of Columbia Mun…

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Basic business license” means the single document designed for public display issued by the business license center that certifies District agency license approval and that incorporates the endorsements for individual licenses i…

(a) A person which is required under law to obtain a license issued in the form of an endorsement to engage in a business in the District of Columbia shall not engage in such business in the District of Columbia without having first obtained a basic business license and any neces…

(a) Endorsements to a basic business license shall be issued in the following license endorsement categories: (1) Repealed. (2) Educational Services; (3) Entertainment; (4) Environmental Materials; (5) Financial Services; (6)(A) Housing: Transient; and (B) Housing: Residential; (…

(a) Repealed. (b)(1) The following licenses are eliminated as separate license categories: (A) Educational and Cultural Institutions; (B) Institutions of Learning; (C) Medical and Dental Colleges; (D) Post-Secondary Institutions; and (E) Veterans Training. (2) Businesses meeting …

To the extent feasible, and dependent on the available technology needed for implementation, each business licensed pursuant to this subchapter shall have a unique identifying number that shall be used for all official purposes, including taxation.

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed as limiting or reassigning any District agency’s power to inspect for compliance or to revoke licensure. Agencies of the District government responsible for the issuance of license endorsements shall revoke, deny, or suspend any licen…

(a) A General Business License shall be required for all businesses engaging in any business transaction in the District that have a business tax identification number and who are not otherwise required to obtain an endorsement under a license endorsement category under this chap…

(a) Any person requiring a license in accordance with this subchapter shall file an application for a basic business license with the business license center, as provided in this section, and shall pay the required fee or fees. As part of his or her application, he or she shall p…

(a) There is created the Business License Center (“Center”) within the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. (b) The duties of the Center shall include the following: (1) Developing and administering a computerized “one-stop” basic business license system capable of stor…

(a)(1) The Center shall compile information regarding the regulatory programs associated with each of the licenses obtainable under the basic business license system. (2) This information shall include a listing of all laws and administrative rules that require the issuance of li…

(a) Any person who is required to obtain a license that has been incorporated into the system shall submit a basic business license application, along with proof of Workers’ Compensation insurance coverage, or an exemption therefrom, to the Center requesting the issuance of the l…

(a)(1) The Center shall collect a fee of $70 for each basic business license it issues, plus $25 for each endorsement added to the basic business license. (2) The entire basic business license application fee shall be deposited in the Basic Business License Fund established by § …

(a)(1) The Center shall assign an expiration date for each basic business license. All renewable licenses endorsed on that basic business license shall expire on that date. (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, every license issued in accordance with this subchapter sha…

(a) The Department may, by electronic mail or other methods of communication, send notice of impending license expiration, an application for renewal, and a statement of the applicable renewal fee to each licensee within 60 days prior to the expiration date at the mailing address…

basic (a) The Center shall not issue or renew a basic business license to any person or business entity if: (1) The person or business does not have a valid tax registration or Certificate of Occupancy, if required; (2) The person or business is delinquent in taxes, periodic repo…

In addition to the licenses processed under the basic business license system that were required prior to the effective date of this subchapter, use of the basic business license system shall be expanded as needed for the processing of additional licenses as provided by District …

(a) There is established the Basic Business License Fund (“Fund”) which shall be classified as a proprietary fund and a type of enterprise fund for the purposes of § 47-373(1). The Fund shall be credited with all fees that are identified in subsection (b) of this section. (b) All…

Repealed Repealed.

(a) A license or permit issued by the District which is valid on the effective date of this subchapter need not be registered under the basic business license system until the renewal or expiration date of that license or permit under the law in effect prior to the effective date…

(a) The Director shall determine the feasibility of allowing certain businesses the option of obtaining inspections at the applicant’s expense by authorized third party inspectors. (b) The Director shall, whenever feasible, allow businesses required to be inspected pursuant to th…

The Auditor of the District of Columbia shall conduct a performance audit of the basic business licensing program and report to the Council not later than 5 years after April 29, 1998. At a minimum, this study should include an examination of the program cost and effectiveness.

All departments and agencies of the District of Columbia government are hereby directed to provide full participation and cooperation in the implementation of this subchapter.

Notwithstanding any provision of this subchapter, any business which was not required under law to obtain a license issued in the form of an endorsement to engage in a business in the District of Columbia and which did not obtain a basic business license prior to July 1, 2003, sh…

The Director shall have the authority to implement the basic business license system outlined in this subchapter by appropriate regulation.

For the purposes of this subchapter: (1) “Board” means a panel of persons appointed in accordance with this subchapter to define and regulate the scope of practice and qualifications needed to practice particular occupations or professions in the District of Columbia. (2) “Certif…

(a) No person shall practice, attempt to practice, or offer to practice an occupation or profession for which a license, certification, or registration is required under this subchapter without a current valid license, certificate, or registration in accordance with the requireme…

(a) This subchapter does not limit the right of a person to practice an occupation or profession that he or she is licensed, certified, or registered to practice, except as provided in this subchapter or by any other law or regulation. A person may practice any other occupation o…

(a) The following non-health related occupations and professions have been determined to require regulation in order to protect public health, safety or welfare, or to assure the public that persons engaged in such occupations or professions have the specialized skills or trainin…

Any person who is providing occupational or professional services for the federal government at a federal government facility in the District shall not be regulated under this subchapter. Any person who has a license or certificate issued by the federal government permitting that…

(a) There is established a Board of Architecture and Interior Designers to consist of 7 members of whom 3 shall be architects, 3 shall be interior designers and one shall be a consumer member. The Board shall regulate the practice of architecture and the practice of interior desi…

(a) The Mayor, with the consent of the Council, shall appoint the members of each board to serve a 3-year term of office. The members first appointed shall serve staggered terms made for one, 2, or 3 years so that approximately one-third of the membership of each board shall expi…

The boards established under this subchapter shall have the power, consistent with this subchapter, to: (1) Determine the scope of practice, the requirements which an applicant must meet for initial licensure, certification or registration and for renewal of the same, including a…

(a) All boards shall adopt uniform procedures which at a minimum require: (1) Each board to elect a chairperson from among its members; (2) Each board to meet not less than 4 times a year at times and places it determines and shall publish notice of all regular meetings at least …

(a) The boards established by this subchapter shall be under the administrative control of the Mayor. The Mayor shall be responsible for: (1) Promptly issuing and renewing licenses or certificates or registering those persons who meet the standards established by the boards for e…

For the purposes of this part, the term “practice of interior design” means providing or offering to provide consultations, preliminary studies, drawings, specifications, or any related service for the design analysis, programming, space planning, or aesthetic planning of the int…

An applicant for licensure as an interior designer shall establish to the satisfaction of the Board of Architecture and Interior Design that he or she: (1) Has passed the examination required by this subchapter; and (2) Meets any other requirements established by the Mayor by rul…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person who is not licensed as an interior designer to engage in the practice of interior design, to advertise as an interior designer, to use the title of “interior designer” or any other words, letters, figures, or other device for the purpose of…

(a) In accordance with § 47-131(c)(4), there is hereby established within the General Fund of the District of Columbia a special account, called the Occupations and Professions Licensing Special Account to which shall be credited, without regard to fiscal year limitation pursuant…

For the purposes of this part, the term “practice of land surveying” means providing professional services including consultation, investigation, testimony evaluation, expert technical testimony, planning, mapping, assembling and interpreting reliable scientific measurements and …

An applicant for licensure as a land surveyor shall establish to the satisfaction of the Board of Professional Engineers that the applicant: (1) Is of good character and reputation; (2) Is a graduate of an accredited college or university with a degree in land surveying or other …

The Board of Professional Engineering may also provide, by regulation, for the registration or licensure of an applicant as a land surveyor in training who meets such standards as the Board shall establish.

Unless licensed in accordance with this subchapter, no person shall use the words or terms “land surveyor”, or “licensed land surveyor,” or any words for the purpose of implying that the person is authorized to perform the services of a land surveyor in the District.

(a) A person applying for licensure, certification, or registration under this subchapter shall establish to the satisfaction of the Mayor that the person: (1) Has not been convicted of an offense which bears directly on the fitness of the person to be licensed; provided, that th…