How to Start a Business in Florida

Step 1: Choose Your Business Structure

A sole proprietorship under your own legal name needs no state formation filing in Florida, though a different business name still requires a Fictitious Name registration. An LLC or corporation files with the Florida Division of Corporations and gets liability protection in most instances, as long as the business's finances stay separate from the owner's. See how to choose a business structure for the full comparison.

Step 2: Check Your Name on Sunbiz

Search your proposed name on Sunbiz, Florida's business entity database, to confirm it's distinguishable from existing businesses on file. An LLC name must include "limited liability company" or an abbreviation like "LLC." Note that Florida does not offer name reservations: Sunbiz states "preliminary name searches and name reservations are no longer available," so there's no way to lock in a name before you're ready to file.

Step 3: Appoint a Florida Registered Agent

An LLC or corporation must maintain a registered agent with a Florida street address, not a P.O. box, who is either a Florida-resident individual or an entity authorized to do business in Florida. A member, manager, or other individual associated with the LLC can serve personally if they have a qualifying Florida address, though the LLC itself cannot serve as its own agent.

Step 4: File With the Division of Corporations

File the Articles of Organization online through Sunbiz e-file or by mail. The total fee is $125, covering a $100 filing fee plus a $25 registered agent designation fee. Florida does not publish a standard processing time for this filing and does not offer expedited processing, since no fee statute lists an expedited tier. Optional add-ons include a certified copy for $30 and a Certificate of Status for $5.

Step 5: Get an EIN From the IRS

Once your Florida filing is approved, apply for a federal Employer Identification Number, which is always free directly from the IRS and typically issued immediately through the online application.

Step 6: Register a Fictitious Name if You're Using One

If you'll operate under a name different from your own legal name or your LLC's exact registered name, register a Fictitious Name for $50. Florida requires advertising the name at least once in a newspaper in the county of your principal place of business before registering, and the registration runs through December 31 of the fifth calendar year, renewable for another $50.

Step 7: Register for State Taxes

If you'll sell taxable goods or services, register with the Florida Department of Revenue through the Florida Business Tax Application for a Certificate of Registration before your first sale. If you'll have employees, register separately for reemployment tax, Florida's unemployment insurance program, which the Department of Revenue states carries a 2.7% new-employer rate on the first $7,000 of each employee's wages.

Step 8: File Your Annual Report on Time

An LLC's annual report, $138.75, is due online through Sunbiz between January 1 and May 1 every year, starting the year after your articles become effective. A $400 late fee applies after May 1, with Sunbiz stating there is no provision to waive it, and an LLC that still hasn't filed by the third Friday in September is administratively dissolved the following Friday. Mark this deadline as soon as your business is approved.

Step 9: Confirm Local Licenses and Industry Permits

Florida counties and cities charge a separate local business tax to operate in their area under Chapter 205, Florida Statutes, and certain professions require a state license searchable through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Check both before you open, since neither is covered by your Sunbiz filing.

If you're also weighing other states, see our Texas LLC guide for how Texas's filing fee, franchise tax, and annual filing compare to Florida's.

Timing Your Filing Affects Your First Annual Report

An effective date on your Articles of Organization can be set up to 5 business days before, or 90 days after, filing. Forming late in the year with a January 1 effective date for the following year delays your first annual report by a full year, which is worth planning around if the timing matters to you.

The Supplemental Corporate Fee Is Built Into the Annual Report

Florida's $138.75 annual report fee is actually two amounts combined: a $50 annual report fee and an $88.75 supplemental corporate fee required by a separate statute. This isn't an extra, optional charge, it's simply how the total fee is calculated.

Workers' Compensation Has Its Own Requirements

If you'll have employees, Florida's Department of Financial Services sets separate workers' compensation coverage requirements, and it requires managers or authorized members to be listed in your Articles of Organization in some cases. Confirm this requirement separately from your state tax registrations.

Protected Series LLCs Are New in Florida

Florida began authorizing protected series LLCs on July 1, 2026, letting a single LLC create designated series with separate rights and liabilities. This is a specialized option relevant mainly to businesses holding multiple distinct assets or ventures under one LLC.

This Is Not Legal or Tax Advice

Florida's specific requirements can change, and this overview doesn't cover every industry-specific license or local requirement. Confirm current details with the Florida Division of Corporations and the Department of Revenue, and talk to a tax professional about your specific situation.