District of Columbia LLC Operating Agreement

Set out who owns your District of Columbia LLC, who manages it, and how profits are split — and download a print-ready PDF. Single-member or multi-member. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.

Reflects current District of Columbia rules · 2026 Official source linked Free PDF · no signup · nothing uploaded

Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.

District of Columbia LLC act rules · as of 2026

Required by law?: No — but strongly recommended
Recognized form: 'whether oral, in a record, implied, or in any combination thereof'
Governing act: Uniform Limited Liability Company Act of 2010 (D.C. Code Title 29, Chapter 8)

Without an agreement: 'Any distributions made by a limited liability company before its dissolution and winding up shall be in equal shares among members and dissociated members' — per capita, not by contribution (D.C. Code § 29-804.04(a)). Source: D.C. Code § 29-801.02(10) · verify ↗.

Need the document itself?

Fill in a District of Columbia llc operating agreement and download a print-ready PDF — free, no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser.

Open the generator →

The generator opens with District of Columbia already selected.

Why your District of Columbia LLC needs this — even single-member

It overrides the default rules. Without an agreement, the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act of 2010 (D.C. Code Title 29, Chapter 8) decides how profits are split and who can act for the company — not you.
It protects limited liability. A written agreement is core evidence that the LLC is a real, separate entity.
Banks and lenders ask for it. Opening a business account or getting a loan routinely requires it.

District of Columbia law

No — District of Columbia does not require an operating agreement (as of 2026): Not required. D.C. adopted RULLCA; the operating agreement is optional and D.C. Code § 29-801.07 supplies default rules for matters it does not cover.. But without one, the default rules of the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act of 2010 (D.C. Code Title 29, Chapter 8) decide ownership, management, and profit questions for you — which is why one is strongly recommended even for single-member LLCs. Source: D.C. Code § 29-801.02(10). Check the current District of Columbia LLC rules before relying on any default.

Frequently asked questions

Is an operating agreement required in District of Columbia?

Does the operating agreement get filed with the state?

No. Unlike the formation certificate (articles of organization), the operating agreement is an internal document — you sign it, keep it with your records, and give each member a copy. Banks, lenders, and courts may ask to see it, but no District of Columbia agency records it.

Can the agreement be oral in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia's statute recognizes: 'whether oral, in a record, implied, or in any combination thereof' (D.C. Code § 29-801.02(10)). Even where oral or implied agreements count, put yours in writing — proving an oral term in a dispute between members is exactly the fight the document exists to prevent.

How does District of Columbia compare? See which states actually require an operating agreement, every claim cited to the state LLC act.

How District of Columbia compares

Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for District of Columbia: D.C. Code § 29-801.02(10) ↗.

District of Columbia is one of 47 of 51 jurisdictions that leave the operating agreement optional (statutory default rules apply without one) (4 require an LLC to have an operating agreement).

The rest of what District of Columbia requires

The figures below are District of Columbia's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full District of Columbia page for that document.

Security deposit cap · as of 2026: 1 month's rent D.C. Code §42-3502.17; 14 DCMR 308-311 ↗
Deposit return deadline · as of 2026: 45 days after move-out D.C. Code §42-3502.17; 14 DCMR 308-311 ↗
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026: 30 days D.C. Code §42-3502.17; 14 DCMR 308-311 ↗
Notice for unpaid rent · as of 2026: 10 days to pay or quit D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a-1) (RENTAL Act, D.C. Law 26-80, eff. 12/31/2025); § 42-3202 ↗
Notice to cure a lease violation · as of 2026: 30 days D.C. Code § 42-3505.01(a-1) (RENTAL Act, D.C. Law 26-80, eff. 12/31/2025); § 42-3202 ↗
Small claims limit · as of 2026: $10,000 D.C. Code §11-1321 ↗
Where you file · as of 2026: Small Claims and Conciliation Branch, Civil Division, Superior Court of the District of Columbia · filing fee $5 (claims up to $500) / $10 ($500.01-$2,500) / $45 ($2,500.01-$10,000), plus service costs D.C. Code §11-1321 ↗
Rental application fee · as of July 2026: Capped at $54 in 2026 (CPI-adjusted $50 base) D.C. Council Code ↗
Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026: Not required DC DMV / DMV.ORG ↗
Power of attorney signing · as of 2026: Notarization required D.C. Code §21-2601.05 (form §21-2603.01) ↗
Recording a deed · as of 2026: Recorder of Deeds (DC Office of Recorder of Deeds — single district-wide office) · no witnesses D.C. Code § 42-401 ↗

LLC operating agreement in other states

More District of Columbia legal forms

Different state? See LLC operating agreements by state →