Starting an LLC in Florida costs $125 in mandatory state fees. Maintaining it costs $138.75 per year for the required Annual Report. Everything beyond that depends on your specific business, location, and how much professional help you choose.
That is the short answer. The longer answer matters more, because the hidden costs of forming and running a Florida LLC are where most first-time business owners get surprised. This guide breaks down every cost, optional and mandatory, with a free calculator to estimate your total first-year and ongoing expenses.
Florida LLC Mandatory Formation Costs
These are the fees charged by the Florida Division of Corporations (dos.fl.gov) to legally create your LLC. There is no way around them.
| Fee | Cost | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | $100 | Filed with Florida DOS via Sunbiz.org |
| Registered Agent Designation | $25 | Required at formation |
| Total Mandatory Formation | $125 | Paid to Florida DOS |
All filings go through Sunbiz.org, Florida’s official Division of Corporations portal. You can file online (faster) or by mail (slower, typically two to three weeks longer to process). Online filing usually processes within one to three business days.
Optional Formation Costs
These are not required by the state, but some situations call for them.
| Optional Fee | Cost | When You Need It |
|---|---|---|
| Name Reservation | $35 | Temporarily holds your LLC name before filing |
| Certified Copy of Articles | $30 | Some banks require this to open a business account |
| Certificate of Status | $5 to $10 | Proves your LLC is active and compliant |
| Expedited Processing | Varies | If you use a third-party formation service |
Name reservation is rarely necessary. If you are ready to file, file immediately rather than reserving the name. Certified copies are occasionally required by specific banks or lenders.
Annual and Recurring Florida LLC Costs
Forming the LLC is a one-time payment. Keeping it active requires recurring annual expenses.
Annual Report: $138.75
Every Florida LLC must file an Annual Report between January 1 and May 1 each year. The fee is $138.75.
Miss the May 1 deadline and the late penalty is $400, bringing that year’s total to $538.75. If you continue to miss filings, the Florida Division of Corporations can administratively dissolve your LLC.
Mark May 1 on your calendar every year. Set a reminder in January to file early. The process takes approximately five minutes on Sunbiz.org.
Registered Agent: $0 to $300 per year
Every Florida LLC must have a registered agent with a physical Florida address available during business hours to receive legal documents. You have two options.
Be your own registered agent (free): Legal, simple, and costs nothing. Your name and address will be on the public record, which is a minor privacy consideration for home-based businesses.
Hire a professional registered agent ($100 to $300 per year): Services like Northwest Registered Agent and similar providers keep your personal address off public filings and handle forwarding of legal documents. Worthwhile for home-based businesses or those who travel frequently.
Local Business Tax Receipt: $30 to $100 per year
Most Florida counties require a Business Tax Receipt (BTR, formerly called Occupational License) for businesses operating within their jurisdiction. Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, and most other populous counties require these. Fees vary by county and business type.
Check with your specific county’s tax collector website for the exact fee and renewal date. This is one of the most commonly forgotten Florida LLC expenses.
Industry-Specific Licenses and Permits: Varies
The LLC itself does not come with a licence to operate in regulated industries. If your business operates in a licensed profession, you need the relevant state licence in addition to your LLC.
Common examples in Florida include contractor licences (Department of Business and Professional Regulation), food service permits (Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services), real estate licences (Florida Real Estate Commission), cosmetology and salon licences, and healthcare professional licences.
Research your specific industry’s requirements at MyFloridaLicense.com before budgeting your startup costs.
Hidden and Overlooked Florida LLC Costs
These costs are real and significant but rarely appear in basic cost guides.
Operating Agreement: $0 to $500 Florida does not legally require an LLC to have an Operating Agreement, but every LLC should have one. This document governs how the business runs: how profits are split, how decisions are made, what happens if a member leaves, and how the LLC is dissolved. A basic Operating Agreement can be drafted yourself from a template at no cost, or a business attorney can prepare one for $300 to $500. For single-member LLCs, a simple template is usually sufficient. For multi-member LLCs with unequal ownership or complex arrangements, professional drafting is worth the cost.
Business Insurance: $400 to $1,500 per year An LLC protects your personal assets from business debts and liabilities, but it does not replace insurance. General liability insurance ($400 to $600 per year for most small businesses) covers claims of bodily injury or property damage. Professional liability insurance covers errors in professional services. If you have employees, workers’ compensation is legally required in Florida.
EIN from the IRS: Free Every LLC that has more than one member, has employees, or is taxed as a corporation must obtain an Employer Identification Number from the IRS. EINs are free and can be obtained instantly at irs.gov. There is no reason to pay a formation service for EIN assistance.
Business Bank Account: $0 to $50 setup Keeping personal and business finances separate is essential for maintaining LLC liability protection and for accurate bookkeeping. Most major banks offer free or low-fee business checking accounts. Some charge a one-time setup fee or require a minimum deposit.
DBA/Fictitious Name Registration: $50 If you want to operate your business under a name different from your official LLC name, you must register a fictitious name (DBA) with the Florida Division of Corporations. The fee is $50.
Bookkeeping and Accounting: $0 to $300 per month DIY bookkeeping using software like QuickBooks or Wave is free or low-cost. A part-time bookkeeper runs $200 to $500 per month. A CPA for annual tax preparation adds $500 to $2,000 per year depending on complexity.
Florida Corporate Income Tax: Possibly applicable Florida does not impose a personal income tax, which is a significant advantage for LLC members. However, LLCs taxed as corporations (C-corps) are subject to Florida’s corporate income tax rate of 5.5 percent on income above $50,000. Single-member and multi-member LLCs taxed as pass-through entities pay no Florida state income tax on their business income, though they still owe federal income tax.
Florida LLC Cost Calculator
Use the calculator below to estimate your first-year and ongoing annual costs based on your specific situation.
How Long Does It Take to Form an LLC in Florida?
Online filing through Sunbiz.org typically processes within one to three business days. Mail-in filings take two to three weeks or longer depending on volume. There is no premium expedited processing fee offered directly by the Florida Division of Corporations for LLCs; the speed advantage comes from filing online rather than by mail.
Step-by-Step: How to Form a Florida LLC Yourself
Doing it yourself through Sunbiz.org saves $100 to $400 in service fees and takes approximately twenty minutes.
Step 1: Go to dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/start-business/efile/fl-llc/ and begin the online filing process.
Step 2: Enter your LLC name. Check name availability on the Sunbiz records search first to confirm no existing entity uses the same or very similar name.
Step 3: Enter your principal office address (your business address) and mailing address.
Step 4: Enter your registered agent’s name and Florida address. If you are serving as your own registered agent, enter your own name and address.
Step 5: Enter the names and addresses of each member (owner) or manager.
Step 6: Choose an effective date (today or a future date within the next ninety days).
Step 7: Pay the $125 fee online by credit or debit card.
Your LLC is legally formed once the Division of Corporations processes the filing and issues your document number. Download and save the stamped Articles of Organization immediately.
Step 8: Apply for your free EIN at irs.gov. This takes approximately five minutes online.
Step 9: Draft or obtain an Operating Agreement.
Step 10: Open a business bank account. Most banks require your Articles of Organization and EIN.
Step 11: Apply for any required local Business Tax Receipts and industry licences.
For a broader framework of what to set up when launching a new business beyond the legal formation, the business plan guide covers the financial projections, market analysis, and pricing strategy that you should develop alongside your LLC formation.
How Much Does It Cost to Reinstate a Dissolved Florida LLC?
If you miss Annual Report filings and the state administratively dissolves your LLC, reinstatement requires paying the $100 reinstatement fee plus each missed Annual Report at $138.75 each.
Missing one year: $238.75 total ($100 reinstatement + $138.75 report) Missing two years: $377.50 total ($100 + $138.75 + $138.75) Missing three years: $516.25 total
Your LLC name is protected during the dissolved period. Reinstate before filing a completely new LLC under the same name, which would cost an additional $125.
Florida LLC vs Corporation: Cost Comparison
| Cost | LLC | Profit Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Formation filing fee | $100 | $35 |
| Registered agent | $25 | $35 |
| Total formation | $125 | $70 |
| Annual report | $138.75 | ~$150 |
| Late penalty | $400 | $400 |
Corporations cost less to form but slightly more to maintain annually. The LLC structure is preferred by most small businesses for its management flexibility and simpler tax treatment. Corporations are more appropriate for businesses seeking outside investment or planning to go public.
Florida vs Georgia vs Texas: LLC Cost Comparison
| State | Formation | Annual Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $125 | $138.75 | No state income tax; local BTR required |
| Georgia | $100 | $50 | Lower annual fee; publication not required |
| Texas | $300 | $0 (franchise tax based on revenue) | No annual report for most small LLCs |
| Delaware | $90 | $300 minimum | Popular for investors/VCs |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 minimum | Strong asset protection laws |
Florida’s combination of no personal income tax, a moderate annual maintenance fee, and a straightforward formation process makes it competitive for most service businesses and sole-owner LLCs.
What Businesses Should Register an LLC in Florida?
Almost any business that generates meaningful income and interacts with clients or customers benefits from an LLC. The liability protection alone justifies the $125 formation cost for most operations.
Common Florida businesses that should form an LLC include vacation rental and Airbnb hosts (the Airbnb business guide covers why LLC protection matters for hosts specifically), cleaning and home service businesses (the cleaning business startup guide covers the licencing and insurance that pair with your LLC), and any freelancer or consultant with recurring clients and significant annual revenue.
For a broader view of the most profitable business ideas you can launch in Florida under your new LLC, the best businesses to start in Florida guide covers twenty-five specific ideas with startup costs and revenue expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The mandatory state cost is $125: $100 for Articles of Organization and $25 for registered agent designation, filed through Sunbiz.org.
The only mandatory annual cost is the Annual Report fee of $138.75 due by May 1 each year. Optional costs include registered agent services ($100 to $300) and local Business Tax Receipts ($30 to $100).
A $400 late penalty applies immediately after May 1. If you never file, the state will administratively dissolve your LLC. Reinstatement costs $100 plus the missed report fees.
No. You can file the Articles of Organization yourself through Sunbiz.org in approximately twenty minutes for the mandatory $125 state fee. A lawyer is useful for complex Operating Agreements or multi-member structures with unequal ownership.
Yes for most small businesses. No personal income tax on LLC profits, a straightforward filing process, and consistent online processing through Sunbiz.org make Florida a practical and competitive state for LLC formation.
Yes. All Florida LLC filings are handled through Sunbiz.org, the official Division of Corporations portal. Online filing is faster (one to three business days) than mail filing (two to three weeks).
Not at the state level for most general businesses. However, most counties require a local Business Tax Receipt, and regulated industries (contractors, healthcare, real estate, cosmetology) require industry-specific state licences from the appropriate licensing board.
Alex Bennett is an entrepreneur whose practical tips have helped thousands improve their careers and grow with confidence.