How Can RentJiffy Assist Me?

We are the experts in getting landlords licensed. Operating since March 2009, we have helped over 15,000 landlords navigate the regulatory process to become legal landlords. 

 

We can help you to obtain a Basic Business License for your property. To be exact, we will take care of all of the required filings for licensing, which are:

  • Business Tax Registration, 
  • Basic Business License Application, 
  • Rent Control Registration or Exemption Application, 
  • Clean Hands Certification, 
  • Self Certification,and
  • if a two-unit property or apartment building, we can also handle the Certificate of Occupancy.

 

We also offer two optional add-on services to our licensing services:

  • Home inspection attendance - D.C. requires a mandatory inspection to obtain rental housing license and a certificate of occupancy (if applicable). Don’t feel like waiting around all day for a D.C. inspector? Does thinking about time spent trying to schedule an inspection raise your blood pressure? We get it, and we got it! We will schedule your inspection and attend on your behalf. After the inspection, we will give you a report detailing the score of pass or fail, and if items failed, what they were, and where they were located. We’ll also include pictures that will help you get failed item(s) quickly fixed. You can select this service when you complete your application on our site.
  • Registered agent service - For all business licenses, it is mandatory to have a registered agent who can accept service of process and official notices, if they occur. Your registered agent must be located in D.C. and be available Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, except for government holidays and other closures. Worried that you won’t get your documents on time? Easy solution – let RentJiffy act as your Registered Agent for a low annual fee. You can select this service when you complete your application on our site.

 

Ready for RentJiffy to make your life easier?

You can start your application with us by going to our Rental Property  Licensing page. From the picture at the top left of the page, use the dropdowns to select District of Columbia as your jurisdiction. Then select your property type. Next, click the red Get Started button, which will let you create an account with us. After your account is created, you’ll be prompted to start the application for a Basic Business License. The application will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

 

Note: 

  • If you and another person own the property and you file taxes jointly, when you complete “Step 2: Owners Information,” make sure the name of whoever is considered the primary taxpayer for your joint tax return (the name listed first on your tax return) is entered first. Then click the ADD OWNER button to add the second owner’s name. 
  • If you and another person own the property but you do not file jointly, you can use any name order, but be aware that whichever person you list first will have their Tax ID/SSN associated with the license and requisite tax account.
  • When an application lists multiple owners, only the primary taxpayer will sign the documents, not all owners.

 

When all steps have been completed, you will be charged the licensing fee (including the D.C. Government fees). At the end of RentJiffy’s application process, there are a few add-ons, such as home inspection attendance and registered agent service. If you select one or both add-ons, the final fee will be higher. After you submit the payment, you will be emailed the completed documents to sign electronically. 

 

Note: Only the primary taxpayer will sign the documents, not both owners. 

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