The Street Entrepreneurs nonprofit is calling on Chairman Phil Mendelson, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, Councilmember Anita Bonds, Councilmember Elissa Silverman, Councilmember Robert White, Councilmember Christina Henderson, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, Councilmember Brooke Pinto, Councilmember Mary Cheh, Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, Councilmember Charles Allen, Councilmember Vincent Gray, and Council Member Trayon White to pass the Business & Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive (BEST) Amendment Act. Additionally, we ask that the honorable Council insert provisions that 1) remove the occupancy permit requirements for businesses that do not pose a health and safety risk to their community and 2) recommence the issuing of street vending licenses.  

Community Call to Action:

If this Act passes, it could impact countless entrepreneurs for years to come. We ask that the Washington, DC, business community take one of the following actions in support of this petition:

1. Email Street Entrepreneurs at licencing@streetentrepreneurs.org to let us know how current business licensing statutes have affected you and your businesses. Also, tell us how the changes could impact you. We will use the testimony we receive to advocate for change. You are free to submit videos, voice recordings, or share one paragraph. You can do this anonymously. 
2. Sign up by February 3, 2022, to testify in front of the D.C. Council. 
3. Call your Councilmembers.
4. Share one of these images on your social media.

What the BEST Act does:

• Reduces the number of basic business license categories from 100+ to 10, greatly simplifying the licensing process;
• Lowers initial license fees to $99 for two years (or $49 for six months), allowing for an exemption from fees for businesses with under $10,000 in annual revenue;
• Establishes a progressive fee structure based on annual revenue for license renewals;
• Establishes a clearer process for business licensing by removing outdated and duplicative requirements;
• Allows the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) flexibility to implement policies and procedures as necessary to better serve the District’s burgeoning business community; and
• Streamlines the law by transferring sections of the code not directly relevant to the basic business licensing process from Title 47 Chapter 28 “General License Law” to more appropriate sections of the D.C. Code for a more intuitive law for the average resident. 

Why the Best Act matters:

• The cost of legally starting a business exceeds the savings of many Americans. According to the Federal Reserve, 46% of Americans said they did not have enough money to cover a $400 emergency expense, let alone the cost of incorporation, occupancy permits, business licenses, and other start-up costs.
• The BEST Act’s progressive fee structure based on revenue means that solopreneur and multimillion-dollar companies will not face the same license renewal fees.
• It gives start-ups a chance to test their business model before investing money into business licensing.
• It makes the process less complex and intuitive so that entrepreneurs can spend more time on their business and less time figuring out the right licensing category for their business.  

Why additional provisions are necessary: 

The BEST Act is a starting point, as it begins to demolish laws that keep poor people from accessing the economic opportunities that come with business creation. Yet more can be done. 

• First, the occupancy permit prerequisite to business licensing in Washington, DC makes it difficult for poor people to create legal companies. Entrepreneurs that are unhoused or transient cannot obtain occupancy permits, and renters looking to operate a home-based business are at the mercy of their landlords. This means that unless you own property or can afford an office or commercial space, obtaining a business license is not a straightforward endeavor. 
• Second, street vending licenses are currently not available. According to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Washington DC has no open street space for additional street vending. 

Businesses that operate without a license risk a $2,000 fine and confiscation of goods, which means that entrepreneurs who do not qualify for a license can end up poorer. This can be a devastating loss for entrepreneurs motivated by unemployment and other economic necessities. Worse still, if you cannot obtain a business license, you do not qualify for funding or emergency aid.