Look up a Washington, DC entity's name, type, file number, and formation date through BOSS (Business One Stop Solution), the District's business registration portal. The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) launched BOSS on August 10, 2026, integrating corporate registration into one connected platform together with the District's other licensing services, including the functions previously handled through CorpOnline. If you have the former CorpOnline entity-search address bookmarked, it may no longer be active; use boss.dc.gov going forward.

The portal holds the key details you need for onboarding, compliance, or business transactions, and each data point takes a specific form in the District's records.

Summary table: finding your Washington, DC entity information

The table below shows each piece of DC entity information, where to find it, and how it appears in DLCP records.

How to search for Washington, DC business entities

BOSS's homepage includes an entity search feature. Most BOSS functions, including pulling a specific entity record, require an Access DC sign-in, and users without an account are asked to create one first.

Search the exact registered legal name, punctuation included; a shortened trade name may not match. Start from the search bar and read the fields on the record you open.

The DLCP Corporations Division registers formal business entities that conduct business in the District, including corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and nonprofits, whether domestic (formed in DC) or foreign (formed in another jurisdiction). For how agent designations work in the District, see our guide to the registered agent requirements in Washington, DC.

What DC entity records include

DC's corporate registration records carry a file number field for each entity. Records typically also carry these details:

• Legal entity name (exact spelling and punctuation)

• File number (DC's unique identifier)

• Registration date (formation date for domestic entities)

• Entity status (active, inactive, revoked, dissolved)

• Entity type (LLC, corporation, nonprofit, partnership, etc.)

• Jurisdiction: domestic DC, or the home state for entities that completed foreign registration in Washington, DC

How to find your entity number in Washington, DC

Your DC entity number, which DLCP calls your file number, identifies your business in the District's registration records. Three sources typically carry it.

Where to locate your DC entity number

1. BOSS record search

   • Should appear in your entity's BOSS record

   • DC records call this the file number

2. Your Certificate of Formation, Organization, or Incorporation

   • Usually near the top of the document

   • May be labeled File Number or Entity Number

   • Issued by DC DLCP

3. Washington, DC biennial reports and state correspondence

   • Appears on your biennial report filings

   • Useful as your reference number when tracking DC filings

DC entity number format

DLCP does not appear to publish a specification for file number formats. One DLCP-issued certificate shows a plain numeric file number, 794479, which may reflect the legacy format. To confirm your exact number, pull your record in BOSS or contact DLCP's Corporations Division directly.

How to find your entity type in Washington, DC

Your entity type appears in your BOSS record and on your formation certificate. Washington, DC recognizes its business entity types under DC Code Title 29, which gives each type its own chapter: business corporations, nonprofit corporations, partnerships and LLPs, and LLCs and PLLCs, with additional chapters for cooperative associations, unincorporated nonprofit associations, and statutory trusts.

Where to find your DC entity type

1. BOSS record search

   • Should appear in your entity's BOSS record

   • Requires an Access DC sign-in to open the record

2. Certificate of formation, organization, or incorporation

   • At the top of your formation document

   • Names the entity type in full (for example, limited liability company)

3. Biennial reports

   • Listed in the entity information section

   • Should match the type on your formation certificate

How to find your formation date in Washington, DC

Your formation date, the date DLCP received your formation documents unless you requested a later effective date, appears in your BOSS record and on your formation certificate. Three sources typically confirm it.

Where your DC formation date appears

1. BOSS record search

   • Should appear as the registration date in your BOSS record

   • For domestic DC entities, this is the date DLCP filed the formation documents

2. Certificate of formation, organization, or incorporation

   • Top of the document, as filed with DLCP

   • States the entity name and file number as filed

3. Biennial report confirmations

   • Usually reference the original filing date

   • Used to calculate biennial report due dates

Formation date vs. effective date

Under DC Code § 29-102.03, a filing takes effect on the date DLCP receives it unless the filer specifies a delayed effective date, which the statute caps at no more than 90 days after the filing date. So a record can carry two dates:

• Formation date (file date): the date DLCP received your filing; use this one for most purposes

• Effective date: when your entity officially began to exist, if you specified a later date

Unless you requested a delayed effective date, the filing date and the effective date are the same, so check which date a specific compliance requirement calls for before relying on either.

Keep your DC entity data current with Discern

With your DC entity information in hand, you can onboard to Discern. Discern acts as registered agent in the District, prepares and files DC biennial reports ahead of the April 1 deadline, and surfaces upcoming filing obligations before good standing is at risk.

Discern manages registered agents, biennial and annual reports, formations, and foreign registrations across multiple states from a single platform, with filings pre-filled from one central data model so the same entity data is used in every jurisdiction.

Book a demo with Discern.

Frequently asked questions

These answers cover the DC entity lookup questions that come up most often.

Is CorpOnline still available?

CorpOnline's corporate registration functions are now part of BOSS, which launched August 10, 2026. If you have an old CorpOnline entity-search link saved, it may no longer resolve; go to boss.dc.gov directly.

How do I find my DC file number without my certificate?

Pull your entity's record in BOSS with an Access DC sign-in, or contact DLCP's Corporations Division directly and ask staff to read the number from your registration record.

What's the difference between my formation date and effective date?

Your formation date is the date DLCP received your filing. Your effective date is the same date unless you requested a delayed effective date, which DC Code § 29-102.03 allows for up to 90 days after filing. Most entities only have one date to track.

Do I need an Access DC account to look up entity information in BOSS?

Most BOSS functions, including opening a specific entity record, require an Access DC sign-in. If you don't have an account, BOSS will prompt you to create one before you can view full record details.