There is no such thing as an “LLC license” in Florida. Forming a Florida LLC means filing Articles of Organization with the Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) for a total of $125, and then separately obtaining whatever federal, state, and local permits your particular business actually needs.1Florida Department of State. LLC Fees The formation filing creates the legal entity. It does not authorize you to operate. The permits that do depend on your industry, your city or county, and whether you hire employees.
So when people say “LLC license,” they usually mean one of two things: the Articles of Organization that bring the company into existence, or the local Business Tax Receipt and any professional license required for the work the LLC does. Both pieces are covered below.
Articles of Organization: What Goes in the Filing
The Articles of Organization are governed by Florida Statutes Section 605.0201 and must contain three things:2Florida Legislature. Florida Code 605 – 0201
- A company name that includes “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.,” or “LLC” and is distinguishable from every other entity already on file. A different suffix or different punctuation alone does not make a name distinguishable.3Florida Legislature. Florida Code 605 – 0112
- A principal office street address and a mailing address. Both become public record on Sunbiz. A P.O. Box cannot stand in for the street address.
- The name, Florida street address, and written acceptance of a registered agent.
The person filing signs the document, which affirms the company has, or will have, at least one member when the filing takes effect.2Florida Legislature. Florida Code 605 – 0201 Missing signatures or a P.O. Box in the wrong field will get the filing rejected.
The Registered Agent
Every Florida LLC must have a registered agent with a physical street address in the state. The agent accepts service of process, meaning lawsuits, subpoenas, and official state notices, on behalf of the company. The agent has to sign the Articles (or type their name in the signature block for electronic filings) to accept the role, and P.O. Boxes are not allowed.4Florida Department of State Division of Corporations. Instructions for Articles of Organization FL LLC
You can serve as your own agent. Many solo owners do, to save money. The trade-off: your home address goes into the public record, and you need to be reliably available at that address during business hours. Commercial registered agent services handle this for an annual fee. The LLC itself cannot be its own agent, but an individual associated with the LLC can.4Florida Department of State Division of Corporations. Instructions for Articles of Organization FL LLC
How to File and What It Costs
File online through Sunbiz or mail paper documents to the Division of Corporations in Tallahassee. The fees are:5Division of Corporations – Florida Department of State. LLC Fees
- Articles of Organization: $100
- Registered agent designation: $25
- Certified copy (optional): $30, useful if a bank or lender requires one
Standard total for formation: $125. Online filings process faster than mailed ones. The Division posts current timelines on Sunbiz; as of early 2026, online filings were taking roughly eight to ten business days.6Florida Department of State. Document Processing Dates You get an email acknowledgment once approved.
Getting an EIN and Choosing a Tax Classification
Before opening a business bank account or applying for most state permits, get an Employer Identification Number from the IRS. Any LLC with employees needs one, and the IRS requires an EIN for LLCs in general, including single-member companies. Applying online is free and the number is issued immediately.7Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
The IRS does not treat LLCs as their own tax category. By default a single-member LLC is a “disregarded entity,” with income flowing through to the owner’s personal return. A multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership by default.8Internal Revenue Service. Limited Liability Company LLC
You can change that. An LLC can elect C-Corporation tax treatment with Form 8832 or S-Corporation treatment with Form 2553. The S-Corp election is popular with profitable LLCs because it can reduce self-employment tax, but it carries restrictions: no more than 100 shareholders, only individuals and certain trusts as shareholders, and one class of stock. For the election to apply to the current tax year, Form 2553 must be filed within two months and 15 days of that tax year’s start.8Internal Revenue Service. Limited Liability Company LLC Talk to an accountant before your first tax year closes; a late or wrong choice is expensive.
The Licenses and Permits a Florida LLC Actually Needs
Local Business Tax Receipt
Most Florida counties and municipalities require a Local Business Tax Receipt before you open your doors. This is the closest thing Florida has to a general “business license.” The receipt confirms you registered with the local tax authority, and the fee varies by business type and location. You typically have to display it at your place of business, where it is subject to inspection.9Miami-Dade County Office of The Tax Collector. Local Business Tax Receipt Contact the tax collector’s office in the county where you will operate for the exact fee and application process.
Professional and Industry Licenses
Certain fields require a separate license through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, including construction contractors, real estate agents, cosmetologists, veterinarians, and community association managers.10Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Division of Professions Contractors and real estate brokers must pass state exams and meet continuing education requirements. Restaurants, bakeries, and other food businesses fall under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which inspects and charges annual permit fees.
The penalties for operating without the right license are real. Unlicensed contracting is a first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to one year in jail, and a second offense is a third-degree felony.11Florida Senate. Florida Code 489 – 12712Florida Legislature. Florida Code 775 – 082 Unlicensed healthcare practice carries similar exposure. The LLC does not shield you from criminal charges.
Sales Tax Registration
If your LLC sells tangible goods or certain taxable services, register with the Florida Department of Revenue to collect and remit sales tax before you make your first sale.13Florida Department of Revenue. Florida Sales and Use Tax Registration is free. Failing to collect sales tax you owed creates a personal liability that can follow you through the LLC structure.
Home-Based Businesses
Running the LLC from your house does not exempt you from zoning rules. Most Florida municipalities allow small home-based businesses in residential zones, but with conditions: the home must remain primarily a residence, the business cannot generate noise or traffic that disturbs neighbors, and signage is usually restricted. If you live in a planned community or condominium, HOA or condo association rules can be stricter than city zoning. Check both before you assume you can operate from home.
The Annual Report, and the Deadline That Catches People
Florida requires every LLC to file an annual report through Sunbiz. The base fee is $138.75.5Division of Corporations – Florida Department of State. LLC Fees Miss the May 1 deadline and a $400 late fee is added, bringing the total to $538.75.14Florida Department of State. File Annual Report
It gets worse. If you still have not filed by the third Friday in September, the state administratively dissolves the LLC at the close of business on the fourth Friday of September.14Florida Department of State. File Annual Report Dissolution does not erase your debts or contracts. It strips the liability protection while leaving the obligations in place. You can reinstate a dissolved LLC, but you pay all overdue fees and file a separate application. Put May 1 on your calendar the day you form the LLC.
Why You Should Have an Operating Agreement Anyway
Florida does not require you to file an operating agreement, and Sunbiz will approve your Articles without one. Skip it anyway and you are leaving the rulebook of your company to state defaults. An operating agreement is an internal document covering who owns what, how the LLC is managed, who contributes what capital, how profits are divided, what happens when a member wants out, and how disputes are resolved.
Under Florida law, anyone who becomes a member of an LLC is bound by the operating agreement whether or not they personally signed it.15Florida Legislature. Florida Code 605 – 0106 Without a written agreement, the default rules under Chapter 605 fill every gap, and those defaults may not match what you and your co-members actually intended. Even single-member LLCs benefit: the agreement reinforces the separation between owner and entity, which is the same separation that protects your personal assets if the business faces a lawsuit.
A Note on Beneficial Ownership Reporting
If you have seen references to a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report required by the Corporate Transparency Act, note that FinCEN issued an interim final rule in March 2025 exempting all domestic companies. Only entities formed under foreign law and registered to do business in the United States still need to file.16Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting A Florida LLC formed domestically does not have to submit a BOI report. Many online guides have not caught up, so do not pay a service to file one for you.