Frequently Asked Questions

In response to legislation passed by the DC Council, on October 1, 2021, The Department of Buildings Establishment Act of 2020 became law and requires that DCRA transition into two new agencies, the Department of Buildings and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection as of October 1, 2022.

Until the new agencies begin operation on October 1, 2022, this site is the best place to learn more about the creation of the agencies. Additionally, an educational outreach campaign will begin on July 27, 2022 to inform residents and businesses about the new agencies, their roles in providing government services, and how to access those services.

Building on the progress DCRA has made over the past three years, the transition to two agencies will allow each to better serve their respective customers by having a narrower focus and clear organizational structures. With a continued emphasis on providing good customer service, and improved access through innovative digital services, the anticipated positive impact of this transition will be clear through measured published key performance indicators.

As with all District government agencies, each agency will operate independently with its own leadership, however, efficiencies such as a single sign-on program that allows access to multiple platforms with one set of credentials and an enhanced customer relationship management system, Kustomer with a “K,” will carry forward. It is through Kustomer that customer inquiries will be efficiently directed to the proper agency after the transition.  

Customers – new and those with transactions in process – will continue to access services by using innovative platforms developed as part of DCRA’s digital transformation. These include examples such as the Permit Wizard and Contractor Rating System, which will operate under the purview of DOB, and CorpOnline and the My DC Business Center, which will operate under the purview of DLCP. In both cases, customers can use their Access DC single sign-on usernames and passwords to log in. Access DC will continue to provide convenient access and enhanced security across both agencies.

All SLAs as currently established will carry forward to each respective agency.

On October 1, 2022, as examples, each of these services will be obtained from separate agencies. Building permits will be applied for through and issued by the Department of Buildings. Business licenses will be applied for through and issued by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.

After October 1, 2022, all rental properties in the District must be licensed through DLCP. However, to schedule the required inspection for your rental property, please submit a request using Dispatch, the inspections-on-demand system provided by DOB.

To file a complaint against your licensed general contractor, submit a complaint through DLCP’s Consumer Protection Unit. If a building professional possesses a professional license, such as an architect or engineer, a complaint may also be filed with the appropriate board or commission. Information on both will be available on the DLCP website.

All occupational and professional licensing for the District will be conducted by DLCP.

Existing Access DC account holders will be able to use their existing login credentials to access platforms and applications for both of the new agencies.

Customers – new and those with transactions in process – will continue to access services by using innovative platforms developed as part of DCRA’s digital transformation. Customers may use their Access DC single sign-on usernames and passwords to login. Access DC will continue to provide convenient access and enhanced security across both agencies.

Yes, publicly available information will still be available using Scout, our online consolidated database; eRecords, our electronic records management system; the Contractor Rating System; and other platforms currently in use.

The District of Columbia Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, DC Code §§ 2-531-539, provides that any person has the right to request access to records. To submit a FOIA request, please visit the District of Columbia Freedom of Information Act Public Access Portal, the same process as currently in place across District government.

Visit dcra.dc.gov/jobs or careers.dc.gov to be see new positions that are posted.

Both the Department of Buildings and Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection will reside at 1100 4th Street SW, home to DCRA currently.

Until September 30, 2022, complaints about a business may be filed with DCRA online. After October 1, 2022, complaints may be filed with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection at dlcp.dc.gov.

Customers who have either conducted business with DCRA in the past, have requested to be included in certain types of communication from the agency, or with whom each respective agency has a need conduct business will be shared with each agency automatically. Alternatively, if you wish to request that your email address be shared with a respective agency, please connect with us.

We are rapidly approaching the date on which the new agencies will begin operation. Current information may be found on this website. We also encourage you to subscribe to be updated on future updates regarding the transition.