Check our 2026 Tax Deadlines For C-Corp Startups or Click for your customized tax compliance calendar by startup hub
Delaware C-Corporations operating in Washington DC have several important tax filing and payment deadlines beyond the traditional April 15th filing date. DC franchise taxes are due on April 15th, and can be extended to October 15th. See other important dates in the calendar below.
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941, and file annual Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) return on Form 940. Use our handy calculator to estimate your possible research and development tax credit.
Washington DC startups should send 1099s to contractors. Send W2s to employees and e-file 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation with the IRS. Or file Form 8809 for a 30-day extension to file W2s and 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation.
Delaware Annual Franchise Report filing deadline. Your Washington DC startup will pay a minimum of $400, which increases if you have significant funding.
For Washington DC startups, IRS ACA Compliance 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C filings are due (if paper-filing, due April 1 if eFiling). File Form 8809 for a 30-day extension.
Send 1095-B and 1095-C forms to employees.
IRS 30-day automatic extension: provide Form 1095-B and Form 1095C to employees.
Payment for the first half of the Real Property Tax Bill is due on this deadline.
IRS ACA Compliance 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C filings are due (e-file).
Q1 DC Estimated Tax Form D-20ES due.
Washington DC Corporate Franchise Tax Return Form D-20 original due date. Can be extended to October 15.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return due. The Federal Form 1120 is the U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, which the IRS has companies use to report their income, losses, credits, etc., and to figure the income tax liability of the corporation. Can extend the deadline to Oct. 15. All Washington DC startups are required to file this Federal form by this deadline unless they file an extension.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 1st installment (first quarter 2026).
File the R&D Tax Credit Form 6765 with your tax return. Can extend to October 15. We strongly recommend working with a qualified CPA to prepare this form in conjunction with your Form 1120 if your company is going to be acquired by a major technology company, that company’s CFO will use a strong tax team to do due diligence on this.
Due date for Washington DC startup employees to make contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for 2025 (Employee Benefits).
Washington DC startups can claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 40% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 2nd installment (second quarter 2026).
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 20% of your estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Q3 DC Estimated Tax Form D-20ES due.
Payment for the second half of the Real Property Tax Bill is due.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 3rd installment (third quarter 2026).
Washington DC Corporate Franchise Tax Return Form D-20 final due date if extended.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return final due date for Washington DC startups if extension was filed.
Claim your Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax, Pay 20% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 4th installment (fourth quarter 2026).
Click The Links To Learn More About These Filings And 2026 Washington DC Startup Tax Deadlines
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 4th installment (fourth quarter 2025).
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941, and file annual Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) return on Form 940. Use our handy calculator to estimate your possible research and development tax credit.
Washington DC startups should send 1099s to contractors. Send W2s to employees and e-file 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation with the IRS. Or file Form 8809 for a 30-day extension to file W2s and 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation.
Delaware Annual Franchise Report filing deadline. Your Washington DC startup will pay a minimum of $400, which increases if you have significant funding.
For Washington DC startups, IRS ACA Compliance 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C filings are due (if paper-filing, due April 1 if eFiling). File Form 8809 for a 30-day extension.
Send 1095-B and 1095-C forms to employees.
IRS 30-day automatic extension: provide Form 1095-B and Form 1095C to employees.
Payment for the first half of the Real Property Tax Bill is due on this deadline.
IRS ACA Compliance 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C filings are due (e-file).
Q1 DC Estimated Tax Form D-20ES due.
Washington DC Corporate Franchise Tax Return Form D-20 original due date. Can be extended to October 15.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return due. The Federal Form 1120 is the U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, which the IRS has companies use to report their income, losses, credits, etc., and to figure the income tax liability of the corporation. Can extend the deadline to Oct. 15. All Washington DC startups are required to file this Federal form by this deadline unless they file an extension.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 1st installment (first quarter 2026).
File the R&D Tax Credit Form 6765 with your tax return. Can extend to October 15. We strongly recommend working with a qualified CPA to prepare this form in conjunction with your Form 1120 if your company is going to be acquired by a major technology company, that company’s CFO will use a strong tax team to do due diligence on this.
Due date for Washington DC startup employees to make contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for 2025 (Employee Benefits).
Washington DC startups can claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 40% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 2nd installment (second quarter 2026).
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 20% of your estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Q3 DC Estimated Tax Form D-20ES due.
Payment for the second half of the Real Property Tax Bill is due.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 3rd installment (third quarter 2026).
Washington DC Corporate Franchise Tax Return Form D-20 final due date if extended.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return final due date for Washington DC startups if extension was filed.
Claim your Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax, Pay 20% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Q4 DC Estimated Tax Form D-20ES due.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 4th installment (fourth quarter 2026).
Note: The federal tax deadline in 2026 is April 15. The federal extension deadline for 2026 is October 15. when the tax deadline is on weekend or holiday, the deadline is moved to the next business day.
How Much Does a Startup Tax Return Cost? Try Kruze Consulting’s Tax Preparation Pricing Tool.
If your Delaware C-Corp Washington DC funded startup needs tax help contact us today!
WASHINGTON DC, STARTUPS AND TAXES
Washington DC’s startup ecosystem remains one of the nation’s most educated, diverse, and well-supported environments for founders in 2026. The region has more than 1,700 active startups, and saw over $1.3 billion in venture capital raised in Q1 2025 with a record spike to $1.9 billion in Q3, keeping DC firmly among the top 10 U.S. tech startup cities and top 20 ecosystems globally. Priority sectors include energy & environment, healthtech, foodtech, cybersecurity, and policy-tech, fueled by access to major universities and government agencies.
DC founders benefit from public investment initiatives like the $26 million DC Venture Capital Fund, which matches district dollars with private investors to boost pre-seed and seed-stage tech companies, especially those founded by underrepresented groups. City-supported programs – such as Founder Institute’s accelerator and new business incentives – give entrepreneurs access to mentorship, capital, and coworking space, making DC attractive to new and scaling ventures. The local cost structure remains competitive compared to coastal hubs, and policy-driven entrepreneurs can leverage DC’s proximity to federal agencies and regulators for rapid market access and collaboration.
Key taxing authority for DC startups:
Delaware C-Corporations operating in DC must pay attention to the April 15 franchise tax deadline, with extensions available to October 15, alongside other required federal and district tax filings needed for ongoing compliance.
With strong access to talent, rising venture investment, and a civic innovation focus, Washington DC offers founders a high-impact environment for launching and scaling startups in 2026.
2025 startup tax deadlines are supplied for reference purposes only, and should not be used when making decisions in 2026 or beyond. Always consult your tax professional, and see our disclaimer below.
Click The Links To Learn More About These Filings And 2025 Washington DC Startup Tax Deadlines
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941, and file annual Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) return on Form 940. Use our handy calculator to estimate your possible research and development tax credit.
Delaware Annual Franchise Report filing deadline. Your Washington DC startup will pay a minimum of $400, which increases if you have significant funding.
IRS 30-day automatic extension: provide Form 1095-B and Form 1095C to employees.
Payment for the first half of the Real Property Tax Bill is due on this deadline.
Q1 DC Estimated Tax Form D-20ES due.
Washington DC Corporate Franchise Tax Return Form D-20 original due date. Can be extended to October 15.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return due. The Federal Form 1120 is the U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, which the IRS has companies use to report their income, losses, credits, etc., and to figure the income tax liability of the corporation. Can extend the deadline to Oct. 15. All Washington DC startups are required to file this Federal form by this deadline unless they file an extension.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 1st installment (first quarter 2024).
File the R&D Tax Credit Form 6765 with your tax return. Can extend to October 15. We strongly recommend working with a qualified CPA to prepare this form in conjunction with your Form 1120 if you are a high-growth startup – if your company is going to be acquired by a major technology company, that company’s CFO will use a strong tax team to do due diligence on this.
Due date for Washington DC startup employees to make contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for 2023 (Employee Benefits).
Washington DC startups can claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 40% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 2nd installment (second quarter 2024).
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941 .
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 20% of your estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Q3 DC Estimated Tax Form D-20ES due.
Payment for the second half of the Real Property Tax Bill is due.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 3rd installment (third quarter 2024).
Washington DC Corporate Franchise Tax Return Form D-20 final due date if extended.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return final due date for Washington DC startups if extension was filed.
Claim your Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax, Pay 20% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Q4 DC Estimated Tax Form D-20ES due.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 4th installment (fourth quarter 2024).
View tax compliance dates for Austin, Boston, New York City, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Seattle, Washington DC, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Mountain View, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and San Jose
How Much Does a Startup Tax Return Cost? Try Kruze Consulting's Tax Preparation Pricing Tool.
How much can your startup save in payroll taxes? Estimate your R&D tax credit using our free calculator.
Every startup is different and so are its tax compliance needs. This is only a guideline. Please consult your tax professional. IRS Circular 230 Disclaimer: To ensure compliance with IRS Circular 230, any U.S. federal tax advice provided in this communication is not intended or written to be used, and it cannot be used by the recipient or any other taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on the recipient or any other taxpayer. Copyright © Kruze Consulting
Check our 2026 Tax Deadlines For C-Corp Startups or Click for your customized tax compliance calendar by startup hub
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