§ 47–2842. Council of the District of Columbia may regulate, modify, or eliminate license requirements.

(a) The Council of the District of Columbia is authorized and empowered, when in its discretion such is deemed advisable, to require a license of other businesses or callings not listed in this chapter or Chapter 30 [repealed] of this title and which, in its judgment, require inspection, supervision, regulation, or any other activity or expenditure by any municipal agencies; and the Council of the District of Columbia is further authorized and empowered to fix the license fee therefor in such amount as, in its judgment, will be not less than the cost to the District of Columbia of such inspection, supervision, regulation, or other activity or expenditure. The Council is further authorized and empowered in its discretion to modify any of the provisions of this chapter or Chapter 30 [repealed] of this title so far as eliminating therefrom any business or calling in this chapter or Chapter 30 [repealed] of this title required to be licensed, and the Council is further authorized and empowered in its discretion to raise or lower the amount of the license fee provided in this chapter or Chapter 30 [repealed] of this title, when in its judgment such increase or decrease is warranted.

(b) The fee for an original or renewal license for motor vehicle driving instructors shall be $78.

(d) The Council shall make such regulations, modifications, or eliminations of licensing requirements consistent with the basic business license system as set forth in subchapter I-A of this chapter.

(July 1, 1902, 32 Stat. 628, ch. 1352, § 7, par. 45; July 1, 1932, 47 Stat. 562, ch. 366; Sept. 14, 1976, D.C. Law 1-82, title I, § 108, 23 DCR 2461; Apr. 3, 1982, D.C. Law 4-97, § 7, 29 DCR 765; Aug. 17, 1991, D.C. Law 9-30, § 7, 38 DCR 4215; enacted, Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-254, § 2, 44 DCR 1575; Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-255, § 3(b), 46 DCR 1279; Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-261, § 2003(pp)(37), 46 DCR 3142; June 5, 2003, D.C. Law 14-307, § 1702, 49 DCR 11664; Apr. 13, 2005, D.C. Law 15-354, § 73(l)(3), 52 DCR 2638; Oct. 20, 2005, D.C. Law 16-33, § 5003, 52 DCR 7503; Mar. 22, 2023, D.C. Law 24-333, § 5(b), 70 DCR 1524.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 47-2842.

1973 Ed., § 47-2344.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 14-307, in subsec. (b), substituted “$78” for “$50”.

D.C. Law 15-354, in subsec. (d), substituted “basic business license system” for “master business licensing scheme”.

D.C. Law 16-33 repealed subsec. (c) which had read as follows: “(c) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, no licensing fees shall be charged to any child development home as defined in § 4-401(3).”

Cross References

Mayor, Council and other offices, application of certain sections to boards, commissions and committees, see § 1-321.02.

Applicability

Section 7286 of D.C. Law 25-217 amended section 9 of D.C. Law 24-333 making the repeal of this section by section 5(b) of D.C. Law 24-333 applicable as of October 1, 2025.

Applicability of D.C. Law 24-333: § 9 of D.C. Law 24-333 provided that the repeal of this section by § 5(b) of D.C. Law 24-333 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1702 of Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Support Amendment Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-544, December 4, 2002, 49 DCR 11700).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1702 of the Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Support Amendment Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-27, February 24, 2003, 50 DCR 2151).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1702 of Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Support Amendment Second Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-103, June 20, 2003, 50 DCR 5499).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 5003 of Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2005 (D.C. Act 16-168, July 26, 2005, 52 DCR 7667).

References in Text

Chapter 30 of this title, referred to throughout subsection (a) of this section, was repealed by D.C. Law 5-136.

Editor's Notes

District of Columbia Drug Manufacture and Distribution Licensure Act of 1990: See D.C. Law 8-137, codified as §§ 8-131, 8-137 and 33-1001 et seq.