§ 47–2851.09. License expiration date.

(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 shall be valid for either 2 or 4 years from the date of issue, depending on which license term the applicant selects, unless earlier revoked or voluntarily relinquished, and licenses shall be issued on a staggered basis, using as the renewal date the date of incorporation if the business is incorporated, the date of organization if the business is unincorporated, or the birth date of the principal if the business is a sole proprietorship. Except as otherwise provided in § 47-2851.08, the fee charged for a 4-year license renewal shall be twice that of a 2-year license renewal.

(2A) In addition to the 2-year and 4-year licenses authorized by paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Center also may issue licenses that are valid for 6 months from the date of issue, unless earlier revoked or voluntarily relinquished.

(3) Valid licenses that for any reason expire on a date other than a date determined in accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be extended automatically until the next anniversary of the date determined in accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(b) All renewable licenses endorsed on a basic business license shall be renewed by the Center under conditions originally imposed unless a regulatory agency advises the Center of conditions or denials to be imposed before the endorsement is renewed.

(Apr. 29, 1998, D.C. Law 12-86, § 101(b), 45 DCR 1172; Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-261, § 2002(b), 46 DCR 3142; Oct. 28, 2003, D.C. Law 15-38, § 2(k), 50 DCR 6913; Apr. 23, 2013, D.C. Law 19-277, § 2(a), 60 DCR 2117; Sept. 21, 2022, D.C. Law 24-167, § 6012(b), 69 DCR 009223; Mar. 22, 2023, D.C. Law 24-333, § 5(c)(15), 70 DCR 1524.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 47-2851.9.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 47-2805.01, § 47-2851.05, and § 47-2851.15.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 15-38 substituted “basic” for “master” throughout the section.

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 19-277 rewrote (a)(2).

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(c)(15) 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(c)(15) 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 days) amendment of this section, see § 6012(b) of Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-470, July 13, 2022, 69 DCR 008707).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(k) of Streamlining Regulation Emergency Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-145, August 11, 2003, 50 DCR 6896).