Florida Registered Agent
How to Start a Florida LLC
Forming a Florida LLC can help you protect your personal assets and lend legitimacy to your business. An LLC, or limited liability company, is business structure that provides business owners with liability protection while offering more management and tax flexibility than a corporation. Forming an LLC is a popular and convenient choice for small business owners in Florida.
To register an LLC in Florida, you must appoint a Florida registered agent and file Articles of Organization with the Florida Division of Corporations, which costs $125. You’ll also need to take care of a few other essentials, like submitting a BOI report, getting an EIN, drafting an operating agreement, opening a business bank account, and building a website. Let’s go over the details.
Registering an LLC in Florida
Here’s what you need to know:
1. How to Start a Florida LLC in 6 Steps
2. The Easiest Way to Create an LLC in Florida
3. Next Steps: After You Form Your LLC
4. Advantages of Opening an LLC in Florida (Taxes!)
And of course, our Florida LLC experts here in St. Petersburg are on hand to answer any questions you may have during regular business hours!
Florida LLC Formation Service
Streamline the process of starting your business!
Our LLC Formation Package includes:
- A year of registered agent service
- Free use of our permanent business address on your public filings
- Secure online account
- Free Florida LLC documents (including operating agreement)
- Free limited mail forwarding
Plus, get 90-day free trial of our web & phone services by adding “Florida Business Presence” at checkout. Our web services team will even help you set up your site at zero cost!
“Great, affordable solution for LLCs. They are very communicative and I’m now recommending them to my local clients. Thank you!”
— Emma G., Google Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to Start a Florida LLC in 6 Steps
There are 6 basic steps to form your LLC in Florida:
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Name Your Florida LLC
To register a limited liability company in Florida, you’ll need to name your LLC and include that name in your Articles of Organization. There are some key rules and requirements for naming your Florida LLC:
First, you have to include one of the following in your business name:
Limited Liability Company
LLC
L.L.C.Second, your LLC’s name must be distinct from the name of any active business in Florida. You can do a Florida business search through the Florida Department of State’s Sunbiz website to determine whether a particular business name is available for use.
Lastly, certain words are restricted.
Your business name cannot contain the name of a government agency (FBI or CIA, for example)
Certain words are restricted and typically require additional documentation (lawyer and attorney, for instance)For all the complete stipulations to naming a business entity, check out Florida state statute Title XXXVI 605.0112.
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Appoint a Registered Agent
Title XXXVI 605.0113 of the Florida state statutes requires all limited liability companies to appoint a Florida registered agent. You must disclose your registered agent’s name and address on your Articles of Organization.
You, an employee, or someone else (such as your lawyer) can serve as your registered agent, as long as whoever you appoint meets the state requirements. Your registered agent must be at least 18 years old, maintain a physical street location within the state, and be available to accept certified business mail and service of process during regular business hours.
You can also hire a registered agent service to guarantee that your business mail and legal documents are always received, even when you’re out of the office or on vacation.
Hire us and you’ll have instant access to pre-signed Articles in your online account, and you can use our Florida business address for your principal office and mailing address. Using our address can help you keep your address private, which is especially useful if you work from a home office. We also automatically include our free Florida mail forwarding option (up to 3 pieces of non-state mail each year).
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File Articles of Organization
To officially form your LLC with the state, Florida law requires you to file Articles of Organization with the Division of Corporations. The Division of Corporations charges a $125 filing fee to process this document (the total cost includes two required fees: $100 to file with the state and a $25 registered agent fee). Your Articles of Organization can be filed by mail, fax, hand-delivery, or online through SunBiz.
You must provide the following information on your Articles:
- Your Florida LLC’s name
- Your LLC’s street and mailing address
- The name and street address of your Florida registered agent, along with your agent’s signature
- The names and addresses of all persons authorized to manage and control the LLC—this includes members (owners) and managers
- The effective date of your LLC (up to 5 days prior to your filing and up to 90 days after)
- The signature of an authorized person
The current processing time for Florida LLC Articles of Organization is about 5 business days. The state will issue you an official certificate once your paperwork has been approved.
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Write an Operating Agreement
An operating agreement is like a blueprint for the structure and operation of your LLC. It explains who owns what, provides a breakdown of how profits and losses are distributed, details the management structure, and outlines how to deal administrative issues (such as how new members/owners can be added to the company).
While an operating agreement is not legally required, and it is not filed with any government agency, having an operating agreement is good practice and can help you avoid legal complications should a dispute arise between members. When you hire us, you can find templates for operating agreements—along with plenty of other valuable business documents—FREE in your online account.
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Obtain an EIN
If you have multi-member LLC (more than one owner), plan to hire employees, or want to file taxes under an alternative filing election, such as S-Corp, you must get a nine-digit Employer Identification Number from the IRS. You’ll use this number to identify your business when you file taxes.
If you’re the owner of a single-member LLC, you can use your social security number. However, you may still want to get an EIN to create a clear separate between your business and personal finances.
Businesses are often required to provide their EIN when opening business bank accounts or applying for licenses and permits. You can apply for an EIN online (and several other ways) through the IRS. There’s no cost to get an EIN.
To make things a little easier for you, we offer EIN (Tax ID) filing service, which you can add at checkout or inside your online account.
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File Beneficial Ownership Information Report
Once the state accepts your Articles, you’ll need to submit a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). This federal report is free to file and must be completed online within 30 days of company formation starting January 1, 2024. LLCs created before that date have until January 1, 2025 to file.
You’ll need to provide name, address, and tax or personal identification information for your LLC and for LLC members who are involved in company management or hold at least 25% of ownership interest. If your LLC is formed on or after January 1, 2024, your report also needs to include information about the person who files your Articles of Organization.
The information you provide is kept in a secure database that is not available to the public. Certain businesses that are already heavily regulated qualify as exempt from reporting.
Reduce filing stress with our BOI report filing service, available at checkout and in your online accout.
The Easiest Way to Create an LLC in Florida: Hire Us!
We make filing your Florida LLC application a breeze. You provide us with basic information about your LLC, and we do the rest (that includes serving as your registered agent!) for just $149.
At this point, you may have questions. After all, the big national companies are advertising $0 formations, right? So why choose us?
Here’s why: we’re actually the better deal. Our competitors will nickel and dime you with hidden fees, add-ons, and anything else they can pile on to the bottom line. That $0 formation doesn’t include anything beyond your formation filing. You may end up paying $250 for registered agent and $100 for an operating agreement template, and you won’t get free use of their business address.
That’s not how we operate. The price you see—$149 plus state fees—includes everything you need to start an LLC:
- One Year of Florida Registered Agent Service – Our local specialists are unrivaled, and included in your LLC formation cost is the first year of Florida registered agent service!
- A Secure Online Account – Manage and maintain your LLC through your secure online account. You’ll get your compliance reminders and everything else in one easily accessible place!
- Free Permanent Florida Business Address – Using our Florida business address protects your privacy and saves you from a lifetime of junk mail by keeping your personal address of the public record.
- Free LLC Business Documents – You get everything from a custom draft of your Florida Certificate of Formation and initial resolutions to an LLC operating agreement that outlines the internal structure of your LLC. All accessible through your secure online account.
- Free Mail Forwarding (for 3 pieces of business mail) – You can view all of your registered mail through your online account, and we include an extra 3 free digital mail scans for any business mail you want to view. We also provide more robust paid Florida mail forwarding packages.
- Free 90-Day Web & Phone Services Trial – With our Florida Business Presence package, you can establish your online presence, attract clients with a professional image, and increase your privacy by keeping your personal and business communications separate. Get a custom domain name (ex: www.YourBusinessNameHere.org), secure website, up to 10 email addresses ending with your domain (ex: [email protected]), and a business phone line with a FL area code.
- Access to Additional Filings and Services – Hire us to file your DBA, apply for you EIN, submit your BOI report, get virtual office service, and more. Save time and focus on your business.
Our competitors might advertise a low-cost fee, but it’s a classic bait and switch. Our transparent prices includes everything you need with no fluff or down-the-line gimmicks. And because we’re local, we can provide more than the national conglomerates working out of another state.
Launch Your Florida LLC Today!
Get Your LLC Online with Florida Business Presence
Order LLC formation and get a 90-day free trial of our web & virtual phone services!
Create a polished website AND keep your personal contact information private by using a business email and phone line.
Our Florida Business Presence web & phone services:
- Domain name of your choice (ex: “YourBusinessNameHere.org”)
- Website on a pre-built, easy-to-edit template (we can also host sites on some other templates)
- SSL website security to protect your website data and client information
- Up to 10 email addresses at your domain (ex: “[email protected]”)
- Virtual phone service & a number with a local Florida area code that you can access on your device with our free Android or iOS app (available for download in US app stores)
Get free, individualized assistance setting up your website, thanks to our dedicated web services team. If you have any questions, give us a call during business hours. We’ve got REAL people standing by to help you through the process.
Domain service is FREE for a full year (up to $25 value) with affordable renewal options ($25 a year on average). All other services are FREE for 90 days, and then $9/month after that. If you keep all of the services after the trial, you get a 20% discount.
Next Steps: After You Form Your LLC
So, you’ve filed all the required paperwork and your LLC has been approved by the state. Now what?
Here’s what you’ll have to do next to set your Florida LLC up for success and ensure that your business remains in compliance with state law.
Open a business bank account
Florida LLCs are legally required to have a bank account in the business’s name. Having a dedicated business bank account will also help you maintain separation between your personal and business funds and make bookkeeping easier.
When shopping for an account, you’ll want to look for banking institutions that offer low-fee checking accounts and high-interest savings accounts. If you think you’ll need funding for your LLC, low-interest business loans are also a plus.
Secure necessary Florida business licenses & permits
Whether or not you’ll need an business licenses or permits depends on your industry, where your business is located, and other factors. License and permit requirements and costs vary. For example, the requirements to get a liquor license are very different from those for a medical license.
You can what licenses or permits your business might need at the Florida Department of State Website.
File your Annual Report each year
For LLCs, Florida Annual Reports are due each year between January 1st and May 1st and can only be filed online. The first report must be filed in the year following formation. For example: if you form a Florida LLC in June of 2024, your first annual report is due in 2025.
The annual report fee is $138.75. A late fee of $400 is assessed if your annual report is filed after May 1st. We send timely compliance reminders for annual reports to our clients through their online accounts.
As with your Florida articles of organization, when you hire Florida Registered Agent LLC, you can use our Florida business address in place of yours on your annual reports each year. We also offer Annual Report filing service so you never miss a deadline and have to pay a late free.
Advantages of Forming an LLC in Florida
The advantages of forming an LLC in Florida start with taxes: Florida does not impose a personal income tax and has low corporate income taxes. So if you’re looking to start a business, creating an LLC in Florida is a smart move.
But why not skip the paperwork and stick to a sole proprietorship? Well, for starters, you run the risk of being held personally liable for your business debt. That’s why most people opt for an LLC—greater asset protection than a sole proprietorship, fewer formalities than a corporation, and plenty of tax advantages.
Here’s a rundown of the main benefits of forming an LLC in Florida:
- Personal asset protection. True to its namesake, a limited liability company (LLC) can limit your personal liability when your business suffers a loss. In other words, a Florida LLC helps prevent others from holding you personally liable for your company’s debt. Generally, you will only be held responsible for debts up to your personal investment in the company. Your LLC, in effect, separates you from your business. Keep in mind, however, that you must ensure that your personal and business documents are clearly separate (this separation is known as the “corporate veil”).
- Tax advantages. One of the reasons business owners choose to form a limited liability company is to enjoy pass-through taxation. Like a sole proprietorship or partnership, your company’s net income “passes through” to you and your fellow members (owners), and you report that income on your individual tax returns. You also have tax options for when your small business grows, including electing to file as an S-corporation (S-corp). Either way, when you’re running an LLC, you get the added benefit of Florida’s low corporate income tax and no personal income tax.
- Management Flexibility. While a Florida limited liability company is a step up from a sole proprietorship because you must register with the state, creating an LLC in Florida is not as complicated and rigidly structured as setting up a corporation. You get to choose your management structure. You can run your business using a very hands-on approach (member-managed) or delegate responsibilities to designated managers (managed-managed).
One thing we suggest to our clients is to have a clear and forward-thinking Florida operating agreement. An LLC allows you to be flexible and skip some of the corporate formalities, but it doesn’t hurt to have some ground rules. When you hire us to form your LLC, we include a treasure trove of LLC documents including operating agreement templates to help give your organization a sense of focus and structure.
Florida LLC Resources
Looking for a little guidance? Well, you’re in luck. Florida has two US Small Business Administration Districts with offices in five Florida cities as well as additional resources to help you get your Florida LLC off the ground and running.
The US Small Business Administration offers free business training, consulting, and support. The SBA can even connect you with state and federal grants and other funding opportunities.
The Florida Department of State Division of Library and Information Services has detailed information on forming your company, paying taxes, and getting a business license.
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) gives you access to a network for small business experts. Get free consulting and low-cost but high-value resources.
Florida Commerce can connect you with tax credit programs, small business loan programs, opportunities for entrepreneurs, and more.
Florida LLC FAQs
How much does it cost to set up an LLC in Florida?
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To set up an LLC in Florida costs $125. This is the filing fee you pay for submitting your Articles of Organization when forming an LLC in Florida.
You’ll file this form with the Florida Department of State. Once approved, your LLC is officially registered with the state of Florida!
Do you have to pay for an LLC every year in Florida?
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Yes, you have to pay for an LLC every year in Florida when you submit your annual report. The Florida Department of State charges a $138.75 annual report fee for a Florida LLC to remain active. This fee is due annually between January 1st and May 1st—if a payment is not made by May 1st, the state will assess a $400 late fee.
Do I hire you before or after I file?
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Hire us now. Your Articles will not be accepted unless you have appointed a Florida registered agent.
It is also best to hire us beforehand, because we can help you maintain your privacy in Florida. If we handle the filing for you, we can use our name and Florida business address on your Articles to keep your private information out of the public record.
Can I form an anonymous LLC in Florida?
＋No, you cannot form an anonymous LLC in Florida. However, you can form a Double (Private) LLC, where you create two LLCs that manage each other. Order our Double LLC Package, we’ll form two LLCs for you and allow you to use our permanent business address so you can keep yours off the public record.
Can I get a DBA name when I form my LLC?
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Yes. After check out, you can select our Trade Name Service inside your account, and we’ll register a trade name—also known as a fictitious name or DBA—for your business. The cost is $175, including state fees. Learn more about Florida DBAs.
Florida is one of only a handful of states that still requires businesses that have registered new trade names to publish an official notice in a local newspaper. However, when you hire Florida Registered Agent to register your trade name, we can also take care of the publication requirement for an additional $128. This brings the total cost of Trade Name Service (trade name + publication) to $303, a one-time cost that lasts until your trade name needs to be renewed—in five years.
Can I form an LLC to hold my assets?
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Yes. You can form a Florida LLC to be purely a holding company, which is a business entity that does not conduct any business but which owns assets, property and investments.
When I form a Florida LLC, is my name part of the public record?
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Eventually. When you originally form your company, you’re allowed to list the name of an authorized representative on your articles, so it’s possible for your name to stay off of the public record for your first year of business. This is what we do when we form a Florida LLC for our clients, and we even include the free use of our Florida business address too.
How do you sign my Articles of Organization?
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When you hire us as your FL registered agent, you will find pre-signed Articles in your online account. Or, if filing online, we will supply you with a name to use in the online filing system through Sunbiz.
What taxes do Florida LLCs pay?
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An LLC is a pass-through entity, which means members pay taxes on LLC profits on their individual federal tax returns. There is no state income tax in Florida. However, you can elect to file differently, as an S-Corp, for example. Consult an accountant before changing your tax election to find out what’s right for your LLC.
Can I create a Florida LLC if I’m not a US resident?
＋You’re not required to be resident of Florida or a US resident to form an LLC in Florida. Generally, the process is very similar to starting an LLC as a resident. You can read more on our page about opening a Florida business as a Non-US resident.
$149
Plus State fees
$49
Per Year