Florida LLC · 2026 guide

How to Form an LLC in Florida

Q: How much does it cost to form an LLC in Florida in 2026?

The state charges $125 to form a Florida LLC: $100 to file the Articles of Organization plus $25 to designate your registered agent. Optional extras are a $30 certified copy and a $5 certificate of status, which bring the Sunbiz total to $160. After that, every Florida LLC pays a $138.75 annual report fee by May 1.

Q: What happens if I miss the May 1 annual report deadline?

Florida adds a $400 late fee to any report filed after May 1, so the report costs $538.75 instead of $138.75. If the report is not filed by the third Friday of September, Florida administratively dissolves the LLC at the close of business on the fourth Friday of September. Reinstating costs $100 plus the annual report fee for each year you missed.

$125 to file. One $138.75 annual report by May 1. Our AI mapped every step from Sunbiz and the Florida Statutes, so you can do this in one sitting.

Form Your LLC See the 5 steps

The 15-minute walkthrough. Every step below links to its chapter.

Updated October 1, 2026. Facts checked against Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), the Florida Statutes and the IRS. Written by the EntityEngine Editorial Team.

The short answer

Forming a Florida LLC takes five steps and one filing

To form an LLC in Florida, choose a name that ends in "LLC", appoint a registered agent with a street address in Florida, file Articles of Organization with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) for $125, sign an operating agreement, and get a free EIN from the IRS. After that, the LLC files an annual report for $138.75 between January 1 and May 1 every year.

Fast facts

Florida LLC costs and rules, verified October 1, 2026

Checked against the Sunbiz fee and instruction pages, the Florida Statutes (chapter 605), the Florida Department of State and the IRS.

Florida LLC fast facts
Topic	Answer	Detail
State filing fee	$125	One-time, paid to the Division of Corporations: $100 for the Articles plus $25 to designate your registered agent.
Optional add-ons	$30 certified copy · $5 certificate of status	Useful later for some banks and loans. With both, the Sunbiz total is $160.
Standard processing time	No fixed time; filed in the order received	Sunbiz posts the received date it is working on. On October 1, 2026: September 24, 2026 online, September 23, 2026 by mail.
Annual report	$138.75, January 1 to May 1	Every year, online. It is not a financial statement.
Late fee	$400 after May 1	A late report costs $538.75. Still unfiled by the third Friday of September, Florida administratively dissolves the LLC that month.
Registered agent	Required, Florida street address	A P.O. box does not qualify. The LLC cannot be its own agent. The address is public.
Name reservation	$25	Optional. You can file the Articles without reserving first.
EIN	Free from the IRS	Instant online once Florida has approved your LLC.
Operating agreement	Not filed with Florida	Still worth writing: banks ask for it, and Chapter 605’s default rules may not match your deal.
Florida business license	No single statewide license	Local business tax and Department of Revenue registrations depend on what you do and where.
Beneficial ownership report	U.S.-formed companies are exempt	FinCEN’s final rule (August 11, 2026, effective August 14, 2026) exempts companies created in the United States from beneficial ownership reporting.

In the video

What the 15-minute walkthrough covers

Jump straight to the part you need. Each chapter starts the video at that moment.

Our AI mapped it out, so you don’t have to

Every number on this page comes from Sunbiz, the Florida Statutes and the IRS, checked on October 1, 2026.

Every fee, straight from Sunbiz

The $125 filing total, the optional $30 and $5 add-ons and the $25 amendment fee, read from the Division’s fee page, not from another guide.

The May 1 report and the September cutoff

$138.75 a year, $400 more if it is late, and a September dissolution date most guides skip. We track it for every LLC we form.

Name rules checked before you file

The required "LLC" ending, the distinguishable-name test in § 605.0112 and what to search first, so a rejection never costs you time.

Registered agent rules and the privacy tradeoff

A Florida street address is required and it goes on the public record. We explain your options and arrange a Florida agent.

Step by step

The 5 steps to form a Florida LLC

The same order the video teaches. Each step tells you where to go, what it costs, and the one thing that trips people up.

Step 1: Choose your business name

Pick a name that ends in "LLC", "L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company", then search Sunbiz to make sure nobody in Florida already has it.

Must contain "Limited Liability Company", "L.L.C." or "LLC". Professional LLCs use "Chartered", "Professional Limited Liability Company", "P.L.L.C." or "PLLC".
Must be distinguishable from every other name on the Division’s records. Changes to punctuation, "and" versus "&", or singular versus plural do not make a name distinguishable.
May not suggest a connection to a government agency.
Search Sunbiz first. The name is not yours until the Division files your Articles.

Where: Sunbiz business name search
Cost: Free to search. Reserving a name costs $25, and you do not need to reserve it to file.
Watch out: Do not buy the domain or print business cards first. A name that looks free can still be rejected if it is too close to one already on file.

Step 2: Choose your Florida registered agent

Florida requires a registered agent with a physical street address in Florida, on file from the day the LLC is formed, to receive legal papers and state notices.

Every Florida LLC must have a registered agent from the day it is formed.
The agent can be an individual or a business with an active Florida filing. The LLC itself cannot be its own agent, but an owner or another person connected to it can.
The agent needs a physical street address in Florida. A P.O. box does not qualify.
The agent signs to accept the role. Online, the agent types their name.
The agent’s address becomes part of the public Sunbiz record. Use your home address and anyone can look it up.
Not in Florida? Your options are a friend or relative who lives in Florida and agrees to do it; your own Florida office, if someone is there to receive official mail; a Florida registered agent service, which is what most out-of-state owners use over the long run.

Where: Sunbiz registered agent rules
Cost: Free if you act as your own agent and have a Florida street address. Otherwise a yearly fee to a Florida registered agent service.
Watch out: Your home address goes on the public record if you use it. Most out-of-state owners, and many in-state owners who want privacy, hire an agent service instead.

Step 3: File your Articles of Organization

The one filing that creates your LLC. File online on Sunbiz, or mail the official PDF to the Florida Division of Corporations.

The LLC’s name
The principal place of business street address, and a mailing address if it is different
The registered agent’s name and Florida street address, with the agent’s signature accepting the role
The signature of an authorized representative
A contact name and email address for the Division’s correspondence
Optional: managers or authorized representatives, a purpose statement (needed only for professional LLCs), a certified copy and a certificate of status
Sunbiz says not to list members in the manager and authorized representative section. The Division emails your filing confirmation to the address you give.
Your LLC exists when the Division files the Articles, or on an effective date you list: up to 90 days after the Division receives them, or up to five business days before.

Where: Sunbiz: file Articles of Organization online
Cost: $125 to file: $100 for the Articles plus $25 to designate your registered agent. Optional: $30 certified copy and $5 certificate of status.
Watch out: Florida does not promise a turnaround. Sunbiz files documents in the order it receives them and posts the received date it is working on. On October 1, 2026 that was September 24 for online filings and September 23 for mail. Fixing a mistake after filing takes an amendment, which costs $25.

Step 4: Create your operating agreement

The private rulebook for the LLC: who owns what, who decides, how profits are split and what happens when someone leaves. Florida never sees it, but banks and partners will ask for it.

Not filed with Sunbiz. Florida never sees it.
Without one, the default rules in Chapter 605 fill the gaps, and they may not match what you and your co-owners want.
A single-member LLC can have one. Florida law says a single-member operating agreement is not unenforceable just because only one person is a party to it.
Banks usually ask for it when you open the LLC’s account.

Where: Fla. Stat. § 605.0105 (operating agreement)
Cost: Free. It is your own document.
Watch out: Many owners skip it because Florida does not make you file it. The first time a bank, partner or buyer asks for it, you will wish you had one.

Step 5: Get your EIN from the IRS

The federal tax ID number. You need it to open a bank account, run payroll and file taxes. It takes about ten minutes online.

Free from the IRS. The IRS says you never have to pay a fee for an EIN, and websites that charge for it are not the IRS.
Form the LLC first. The IRS says to form the entity with the state before you apply, or the application can be delayed.
Apply online with the responsible party’s Social Security number or ITIN. If approved, the EIN is issued immediately. The session expires after 15 minutes of inactivity.
Print and save the confirmation letter. Banks and your CPA will ask for it.

Where: IRS EIN application
Cost: Free.
Watch out: Wait until Florida has approved your LLC. The IRS asks for the legal name and formation date, and they have to match.

Rather not do the five steps yourself?

Form Your LLC

After the state says yes

Six things to do once Florida approves your LLC

Open the bank account

Bring the filed Articles of Organization, the signed operating agreement and the EIN letter. Banks ask for all three.

Register for Florida taxes and local licenses

Florida has no single statewide business license. The Florida Department of Revenue handles sales and use tax and reemployment tax. Most county tax collectors, and some cities, charge a local business tax, also called an occupational license.

Register in the state where you actually work

A Florida LLC run from another state usually has to register there as a foreign LLC and pay that state’s fees too. The Florida filing does not replace it.

Beneficial ownership report: nothing to file

FinCEN’s final rule (August 11, 2026, effective August 14, 2026) exempts companies created in the United States from beneficial ownership reporting.

Decide how you want to be taxed

By default a one-owner LLC is taxed like a sole proprietorship and a multi-owner LLC like a partnership. An S corporation election is optional and worth a conversation with a tax professional, not a guess.

Put May 1 on the calendar

Every Florida LLC files an annual report between January 1 and May 1, every year it exists. EntityEngine’s Compliance Engine reminds you before it is due.

Heads up

The May 1 annual report that catches new Florida LLC owners

Every Florida LLC files an annual report with Sunbiz between January 1 and May 1, every year. The fee is $138.75. Despite the name, it is not a financial report: it confirms that your LLC is still active and that the information the state has on file is correct. Your first report is due in the year after the LLC is formed.

File after May 1 and Florida adds a $400 late fee, for a total of $538.75. If the report is not filed by the third Friday of September, Florida administratively dissolves the LLC at the close of business on the fourth Friday of September. Reinstating costs $100 plus the annual report fee for every year you missed.

Forming in the fourth quarter? If you form the LLC between October 1 and December 31, listing a January 1 effective date can push the first annual report back a year, as long as the LLC will not do business until the new year.

Sunbiz annual report page

Three ways to get it done

Do it yourself, hire a lawyer, or form it with us

Do it yourself

$125 plus your time

You search Sunbiz, find a Florida registered agent (or act as your own and publish your home address) and file the Articles yourself.
You write the operating agreement and apply for the EIN.
You remember May 1 every year, and the foreign registration in any other state where you work.

Fine if you live in Florida and enjoy paperwork.

Hire a lawyer

Hourly or flat fees, usually far above the state fee

Right when ownership is complicated or investors are involved.
You still need a registered agent and a reminder system.
Most lawyers do not track your May 1 report after the engagement ends.

Best for unusual deals, not for a standard LLC.

Form it with EntityEngine

The $125 state fee plus our package

Our Formation AI walks you through the Articles of Organization and prepares them for filing, and we arrange your Florida registered agent.
Your operating agreement, EIN walkthrough and company records are generated for you, and your EIN letter is stored in your document vault.
The Compliance Engine tracks May 1 and every deadline after it.

Built for founders who want it done right and then run right.

Form Your LLC

When you form with EntityEngine, we arrange your Florida registered agent for you, and the Compliance Engine tracks the renewal. EntityEngine is not a law firm and does not give legal or tax advice.

FAQ

Florida LLC questions, answered

Plain answers, each one checked against the state’s own rules.

How much does it cost to form an LLC in Florida in 2026?

The state charges $125 to form a Florida LLC: $100 to file the Articles of Organization plus $25 to designate your registered agent. Optional extras are a $30 certified copy and a $5 certificate of status, which bring the Sunbiz total to $160. After that, every Florida LLC pays a $138.75 annual report fee by May 1.

How long does Florida take to approve an LLC?

Florida does not publish a fixed turnaround, so treat any specific number of days as a guess. Sunbiz files documents in the order it receives them and posts the received date it is working on. On October 1, 2026 that was September 24, 2026 for online filings and September 23, 2026 for mail. Check the Division’s Document Processing Dates page before you file, and double-check your details first: fixing a mistake later costs $25 for an amendment.

Does a Florida LLC have to file an annual report?

Yes. Every Florida LLC files an annual report with Sunbiz between January 1 and May 1 each year, for $138.75. It is not a financial statement. It confirms or updates the information the state has on file for your LLC, such as its addresses and registered agent. The first report is due in the year after the LLC is formed.

What happens if I miss the May 1 annual report deadline?

Florida adds a $400 late fee to any report filed after May 1, so the report costs $538.75 instead of $138.75. If the report is not filed by the third Friday of September, Florida administratively dissolves the LLC at the close of business on the fourth Friday of September. Reinstating costs $100 plus the annual report fee for each year you missed.

Can I be my own registered agent for a Florida LLC?

Yes, if you are an individual connected to the LLC and you have a physical street address in Florida. The LLC itself cannot be its own registered agent, and a P.O. box does not qualify. The agent’s address goes on the public Sunbiz record, so using your home address makes it searchable. If you live outside Florida, use a friend or relative in the state, your own Florida office, or a Florida registered agent service.

Do I need to live in Florida to form a Florida LLC?

No. Owners can live anywhere. What has to be in Florida is your registered agent, with a physical street address in the state. If you run the business from another state, that state will usually require you to register the Florida LLC there as a foreign LLC.

Does Florida require an operating agreement?

Florida does not make you file an operating agreement with Sunbiz, and the Division never sees it. You still want one in writing. Without it, the default rules in Chapter 605 fill the gaps and may not match what you and your co-owners agreed. Banks usually ask for it, and a single-member LLC can have one too.

Does a Florida LLC need a business license?

There is no single statewide business license for a Florida LLC. What you need depends on what the business does and where. The Florida Department of Revenue handles sales and use tax and reemployment tax. Most county tax collectors, and some cities, charge a local business tax, also called an occupational license. Check with your county tax collector and city before you open.

What goes in the Florida Articles of Organization?

Very little: the LLC’s name, its principal place of business street address and a mailing address, the registered agent’s name and Florida street address with the agent’s signature accepting the role, and a contact name and email for the Division. Managers or authorized representatives, a purpose statement and an effective date are optional. The filing fee is $125.

Should I form my LLC in Florida or Delaware?

If your business operates in Florida, a Florida LLC is usually the simpler and cheaper choice. A Delaware LLC costs $110 to form and $400 a year in tax, and an LLC run from Florida generally has to register in Florida as a foreign LLC as well. Delaware makes sense mainly when investors or a particular contract call for it. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. See our Delaware LLC guide to compare.

Sources

Where every fact on this page comes from

Facts verified October 1, 2026. Florida changes fees by statute and rule; we re-check this page when it does.

This page is general education, not legal or tax advice. EntityEngine is not a law firm, a government agency or a registered agent. Filing and registered agent services are arranged through third-party providers.

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