Certificate of Occupancy/Home Occupation Permit
The third step in starting a business is to get a Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupation Permit if your business is located in DC proper. Verification of land use details the use of a building, structure or land and ensures the use is aligned with regulations.
Roadmap
* A Certificate of Occupancy can be obtained in three (3) steps:
Step 1. Determine the reason for your C of O application (i.e., New Construction, Change of Use and/or Change of Ownership).
Step 2. Submit Application for a Certificate of Occupancy, Authorization, and payment.
Step 3. Wait for application review, inspection and approval from the Permits Division, (202) 442-4576 or visit DCRA at 1100 4th Street, SW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20024.
**A Home Occupation Permit (HOP) can be obtained in the online application (OSUB) process for a Basic Business License or can be submitted in-person in the Permits Center. To obtain a HOP:
Step 1. Complete and submit a Home Occupation Permit Application.
Step 2. Submit $36.30 payment.
*Review the Certificate of Occupancy Checklist for variations in the application process.
**Review the Home Occupation Permit Checklist for variations in the applications process.
External Resource
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
1100 4th Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20024
Office Hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm and Thursday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Phone: (202) 442-4400
This is map view of the location