How to Form an LLC in Florida
Florida runs its LLC system through Sunbiz, files you online in minutes, and charges $125 all-in to form. Its one sharp edge is famous: an annual report window that closes May 1, and a $400 late fee waiting on the other side of it.
Florida at a glance
Filing fee: $125 for the Articles of Organization, filed with the Florida Division of Corporations. Recurring: An annual report every year between January 1 and May 1, $138.75, with a $400 late fee after May 1. Florida has no state income tax on most LLCs and no separate LLC entity tax. Registered agent: required, with a physical address in Florida. Every figure on this page was checked against the Florida Division of Corporations' official Sunbiz site on November 7, 2026.
On this page
The Florida filing steps
Check your name on the state's own search
Search the Division of Corporations records on Sunbiz before you file; the Division itself directs founders to its name search to confirm a name is distinguishable and available. Florida LLC names must include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." The search also shows you every existing Florida entity with a similar name, which is useful competitive research while you are there.
Choose your registered agent
Florida requires a registered agent with a physical street address in Florida. A P.O. box does not qualify. An entity cannot serve as its own agent, though an individual associated with the business can serve personally. Unusually, Florida makes the agent sign the filing, confirming the agent knows and accepts the obligations of the role under Florida law. Whoever you name, they should know they are named.
File the Articles of Organization with the Division of Corporations
File the Articles of Organization online through Sunbiz, the Division of Corporations' e-file system, or by mail. The required state charges total $125: a $100 filing fee plus a $25 registered agent designation fee. Optional extras (a certified copy at $30, a certificate of status at $5) push some quoted totals to $160; they are not required, and the Division's own fee schedule separates them.
Get an EIN from the IRS
Free, online, and takes minutes once your Florida filing is approved. Never pay a service for this. See EIN for an LLC for the walkthrough and the one IRS rule (a real person as responsible party) that surprises people.
Write your operating agreement
Florida does not collect the operating agreement, and its statute gives members wide freedom to set their own rules in one. Write it at formation. Florida's default rules govern whatever your agreement does not cover.
Open the business bank account and handle licenses
Bring your approved formation document and EIN letter. Then check your city and county for a general business license and your industry for state permits. Florida has no statewide general business license for most LLCs, but many counties and cities require a local business tax receipt, and regulated professions are licensed through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation or other agencies. Register for state taxes with the Department of Revenue if you will sell taxable goods or hire employees.
Filing details that trip people up
- Florida's $125 includes the agent fee; other states separate it. When comparing state fees, Florida's sticker is $100 plus a mandatory $25 agent designation. The all-in $125 is the honest number.
- The May 1 wall is the whole Florida game. Your first annual report is due in the calendar year after formation, between January 1 and May 1, at $138.75. After May 1 the same report costs $538.75. No other state in this guide punishes a calendar slip so hard.
- No publication step. The Division's official instructions state they cover the minimum requirements for the Articles of Organization, and newspaper publication is not among them.
- Foreign LLCs pay the same $125 total. Qualifying an out-of-state LLC in Florida costs the same $100 plus $25, and the annual report obligation follows it.
After your Florida LLC is approved
File nothing else with the Division until the next January, when your first annual report window opens. Use the interval for the EIN, the business bank account, Department of Revenue registration if your activity needs it, and your local business tax receipt. Then set the report reminder for January, not April: filing in the first window month is the cheapest insurance in this entire guide.
The full recurring picture for Florida, with fees and due dates, is on the Florida annual report and compliance page, and the money view is on the Florida LLC cost page.
Florida LLC questions
Why is the Florida annual report $138.75, such an odd number?
The Division's fee schedule lists it as the annual report plus a supplemental fee, combined at $138.75. It is the same for every Florida LLC, due between January 1 and May 1 each year.
What if I file the Florida annual report on May 2?
The Division adds a $400 late fee, making the total $538.75. The fee is stated plainly on Sunbiz, and it is not waived for being a day late. File in January. Details on the Florida report page.
Does Florida tax LLC income?
Florida has no personal income tax, and a standard pass-through LLC files no Florida corporate income tax return. The Division of Corporations itself gives no tax advice; its recurring charge is the annual report. Sales tax and reemployment tax accounts apply based on your activity, through the Department of Revenue.
Does a Florida LLC file a BOI report?
No. US-formed companies are exempt under the federal final rule of August 14, 2026. See the BOI tracker.
General Information Only
LLCForming publishes general information about forming and running an LLC. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice, and it does not create an attorney or advisor relationship. Rules vary by state and by your situation. For a decision that matters, talk to a licensed attorney or tax professional in your state.