Business Licensing Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This bill temporarily amends business licensing rules in Washington, D.C., primarily affecting businesses seeking or renewing licenses for theaters, cinemas, dance halls, and similar entertainment venues, as well as residential property owners and apartment complexes. It restores the option for a 4-year business license (previously eliminated by the BEST Act), allows renewal of licenses expired over 9 months with a monetary penalty, and requires the licensing department to notify neighborhood commissions about entertainment venue applications instead of holding public hearings. The bill also reinstates the Mayor’s authority to refund erroneously paid license fees. These changes aim to ease administrative burdens ahead of the BEST Act’s full implementation on October 1, 2025.