If you form a limited liability company (LLC) in Florida, you can take advantage of the legal business structure's many benefits. An LLC combines the limited liability of a corporation with the flexibility and lack of formalities provided by a partnership or sole proprietorship. An LLC also protects you, the owner, from being personally liable for the business's debts.
Here are the steps you need to take to create an LLC in Florida. For more information on how to form an LLC in any state, check out our article on how to start an LLC. You can also use our online LLC formation service to register your LLC.
When choosing a business name, you should pick one that's unique and marketable. Florida, like many states, has laws around what you can and can't name your LLC.
LLC name must be distinguishable. Florida requires your LLC name to be recognizably different from the names of other business entities already on file with the Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations (DOC), a division of the Department of State. However, your name doesn't need to be different from fictitious name registrations, general partnership registrations, and limited liability partnership statements. You can check to see whether the name you want is available by searching the state's business name database. (Fla. Stat. § 605.0112 (2024).)
LLC name must include an entity designator. Under Florida law, an LLC name must contain one of the following words:
(Fla. Stat. § 605.0112 (2024).)
Name reservation. You can reserve a name before organizing your LLC. Florida has an unusual name reservation process. You can only reserve a business name by sending a letter to the DOC. If the DOC decides the name is available for use, it'll hold it for you for 120 days. As of 2024, you must pay a $25 fee to reserve a name for LLCs. (Fla. Stat. § 605.01125 (2024).)
Using a fictitious name. You don't have to use your LLC's official legal name registered in your articles of organization when you do business out in the real world. Instead, you can use a fictitious business name, also called a "trade name," a "DBA" (short for "doing business as"), or an "assumed name." If you do use a name other than your business's legal name, you must register your fictitious name with the DOC. The registration is good for five years. (Fla. Stat. § 865.09 (2024).)
You can register your fictitious name by either using the DOC's e-file system or mailing an application to the DOC. As of 2024, the fee to register your fictitious name is $50.
See the DOC's FAQ page for more on LLC names.
Every Florida LLC must have an agent for service of process in the state—commonly called a "registered agent." A registered agent is an individual or business entity that agrees to accept legal papers on the LLC's behalf. For example, a Florida registered agent is responsible for forwarding processes, notices, and demands to the company it serves.
A registered agent can be either:
The agent must have a physical street address in Florida.
(Fla. Stat. § 605.0113 (2024).)
You can create a Florida LLC by filing Articles of Organization with the DOC.
The articles must include:
While not required, you have the option of indicating whether your LLC will be member-managed or manager-managed. (Fla. Stat. § 605.0201 (2024).)
You can file the articles online using the DOC's e-file system. Alternatively, you can complete and mail an Articles of Organization form to the DOC. As of 2024, the filing fee for LLC Articles of Organization is $125. This fee includes the $100 fee for the articles and the $25 fee for the registered agent designation.
You're not required to have an LLC operating agreement in Florida. But it's still strongly recommended that you create one. An operating agreement is an internal document that establishes how your LLC will be run. Once you create an LLC, your company and its members will be bound by it.
Your operating agreement should cover the following topics:
(Fla. Stat §§ 605.0105 and following (2024).)
In addition to providing a blueprint for your company, this document can help preserve your limited liability by showing that your LLC is truly a separate business entity from the owners. In the absence of an operating agreement, state LLC law will govern how your LLC operates.
For help creating an LLC operating agreement, you can use our online LLC formation service or ask a local business lawyer to draft or review your LLC's operating agreement.
Other tax and regulatory requirements might apply to your LLC. For example, your LLC might need to obtain an EIN, apply for business licenses and permits, and register for business taxes.
EIN. If your LLC has more than one member, it must obtain a federal employer identification number (EIN), even if it has no employees. If you form a single-member LLC, you must obtain an EIN for your LLC only if either you elect to have your business taxed as a corporation instead of a sole proprietorship (disregarded entity) or your single-member LLC has employees. You can get an EIN by completing an online EIN application on the IRS website. There's no filing fee.
Business licenses. Depending on your business activities and location, your LLC might need to obtain local and state business licenses or permits. Visit your city's website for information about local licenses and permits. Most cities require businesses to obtain what's called a "business tax receipt" to conduct business within city limits. You can find licensing information for most professionals and occupations via the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. For more detailed information, see our article on Florida business licenses.
Florida Department of Revenue. If you have employees or will be selling goods and collecting sales tax, you'll need to register with the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR). You can register your business online at the DOR website. For more information on Florida LLC tax registration, check out our article on Florida annual tax and LLC filing requirements.
Here are some other questions you might have about your Florida LLC.
If you're just starting your business or have already been operating as a sole proprietor, you should consider forming an LLC. LLCs limit an owner's personal liability for business debts and lawsuits and offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to ownership, management, and taxation of the business.
To learn more about LLCs and decide if it's the right business structure for you, see our article on LLC basics.
Below are the fees (as of 2024) you might need to pay to form your LLC in Florida:
Filing on your own is often the cheapest option, but completing all of the forms and filing them yourself can be complicated. Hiring a lawyer is another option, but it will often cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in the process. If you'd like help completing all the filings, try our online LLC formation service.
To learn more about the costs associated with forming and running an LLC, see our article on how much it costs to form an LLC.
Yes. All Florida LLCs must file an annual report to maintain "active" status. Your LLC's first report is due the year after you form the company. Each annual report is due between January 1 and May 1. (Fla. Stat. § 605.0212 (2024).)
You can file the report online. As of 2024, the fee for the annual report is $138.75. If you file after May 1, a steep $400 late fee is added to the filing fee.
Apart from annual reports, your LLC will need to file and pay applicable taxes to the local, state, and federal governments. In addition, your LLC might need to obtain and periodically renew any required general or special business licenses or permits. You'll be responsible for keeping track of these maintenance requirements to keep your LLC in good standing and legally compliant.
Starting in 2024, all LLCs were previously required to submit a beneficial ownership information (BOI) report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Treasury. However, in March 2025, after some constitutional challenges, FinCEN revised the BOI reporting rule so that the requirement only applies to companies created outside the U.S. So, if you form your LLC within the U.S., then you no longer need to worry about the BOI reporting requirement.
You're not required to have an operating agreement in Florida. Though, it's highly advisable to have one. An operating agreement can help protect your limited liability status, prevent financial and managerial misunderstandings among members, and ensure that you choose the rules that govern your business instead of your state's default rules.
Florida doesn't require a statewide general business license. However, many cities require businesses to obtain a business tax receipt to operate within the city. In general, your business activities and location will determine whether your LLC needs to obtain local and state business licenses. Check the get a business license page on the Department of State's website for more information and links to resources.
Check out our article on how to get a small business license in Florida for a detailed guide.
In some cases, yes. For example, if you'll be selling goods and collecting sales tax or if you have employees, you'll need to register with the DOR. For most state tax purposes, you can register either online or on paper (using Form DR-1, Florida Business Tax Application).
For more information on Florida business, employer, and sales taxes, see our article on LLC annual report and tax filing requirements in Florida.
Yes. All LLCs organized outside of Florida (called "foreign LLCs") must register with the DOC to do business in Florida. Foreign LLCs must appoint a registered agent for service of process physically located in Florida.
To register, file a Qualification of Foreign LLC with the DOC. The completed application must be accompanied by a certificate of existence (or a similar document) from the foreign LLC's home state, dated no more than 90 days prior to the filing of the certificate.
Before filing, make sure the LLC's name is available in Florida by checking the DOC's business name database. If the name isn't available, the foreign LLC must adopt an alternate name for use in Florida.
As of 2024, the filing fee to register a foreign LLC in Florida is $125.
(Fla. Stat. §§ 605.0901 and following (2024).)
See our article on how to qualify a foreign business in Florida for more details about the foreign qualification process.
Yes. For most formation purposes, a Florida single-member LLC is considered the same as a multi-member LLC. The steps to form a single-member LLC in Florida are the same as those listed above.
Single-member LLCs do have additional flexibility when it comes to filing a tax return. To learn more, see our article on how single-member LLCs pay federal income tax.
Yes. If you provide a licensed professional service in Florida and want to form an LLC, you can form a professional LLC (PLLC). Examples of providers of professional services include architects, attorneys, dentists, certified public accountants, physicians, and more. Generally, if you provide a service that requires you to obtain a Florida state license before practicing, then you provide a professional service.
You can only provide one professional service under your PLLC. You form a PLLC by filing Articles of Organization with the DOC. You must indicate your PLLC's specific professional purpose.
(Fla. Stat. §§ 621.01 and following (2024).)
Alternatively, you can form a Florida professional service corporation (called a "professional corporation" in other states).
If you reach the point where it's time to close your business and cease all operations, then you'll want to properly dissolve your LLC to limit your liability for lawsuits and government fees. Your dissolution process will include obtaining tax clearance, filing a certificate of dissolution, settling debts, and distributing assets.
Read our article on dissolving a Florida LLC for an explanation of these steps.
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