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# Doing business in the Washington Metropolitan Area District

## Business requirements

SBA’s Business Guide lists the requirements needed to start, grow, and expand your business. Since laws and taxes vary by state, here’s what you need to do before starting your business in the District of Columbia. If you need small business information for the state of Virginia, visit the Doing business in the Virginia District page. If you need small business information for the state of Maryland, visit the Doing business in the Baltimore District page.

### Business name and registration

Register your business name with the county clerk where your business is located. If you are a corporation, you will also need to register with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

### Business licensing and zoning

Licenses are typically administered by a variety of state and local departments. It is important to consider zoning regulations when choosing a site for your business. Contact the local business license office where you plan to locate your business. You may not be permitted to conduct business out of your home or engage in industrial activity in a retail district.

### Taxes

IRS District of Columbia Taxpayer Assistance Center77 K St. NEWashington, DC 20002Phone: 202-803-9000

DC Office of Tax and Revenue1101 4th St. SW, Room 270Washington, DC 20024Phone: 202-727-4829

### Health and safety

Department of Employment Services4058 Minnesota Ave. NEWashington, DC 20019Phone: 202-671-1900DC OSHA4058 Minnesota Ave. NEWashington, DC 20019Phone: 202-671-1800

## State small business profiles

Need information on the local business landscape? SBA's Office of Advocacy has the latest demographic and statistics on local small business economic activity.

##  Local assistance

          Find counselors        

## SBA lending in our area

-  Loan programs              Learn more about SBA's 7(a) loans, 504 loans, and microloans that you can use for your business.                  Find a loan 
-  Lender Match              Describe your business needs and get matched with an SBA-backed lender in your area.                  Get matched with a lender 
-  Lending activity reports              View 7(a) and 504 lending activity reports from our district.                  View lending reports 

## Additional local resources

###         State and local governments      

                    -  Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development 
                    -  District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs 
                    -  Loudon County SmallBiz 
                    -  Maryland Business Express 
                    -  Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity 

###         Community organizations      

                    -  D.C. Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development 
                    -  Washington, D.C. Economic Development Partnership 
                    -  Arlington County BizLaunch 
                    -  Fairfax County Economic Development Authority 
                    -  Virginia is for Entrepreneurs 
                    -  Maryland Entrepreneur Hub 
                    -  Montgomery County Business Portal 
                    -  Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation 
                    -  Prince George's County Memorial Library Small Business Resources 
                    -  Asian American Chamber of Commerce 
                    -  Equality Chamber of Commerce D.C. Metro Area 
                    -  El Salvadorian American Chamber of Commerce 
                    -  Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce 
                    -  Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 
                    -  Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce Metro D.C. 

##           Download our guide to SBA resources        

Learn about the opportunities available for small businesses nationwide.

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