We’ve compiled the most common fees so you know exactly what to expect when starting your Florida LLC.
Starting an LLC can take a lot of work, but we’re here to help. Let’s go over a few common filing fees to help you prepare.
Here’s how much it costs to start an LLC in Florida along with some additional fees.
$125
: The filing fee for a Florida LLC is $125
. You’ll have to pay this amount when filing your Articles of Organization.
$138.75: This is the amount you’ll be charged for your Florida LLC annual report.
$25: You will be charged a $25 fee for a Florida registered agent.
After you’ve set up your Florida LLC, be mindful of other fees and services to help make running your business easier.
You’re going to need a Florida Certificate of Status. This document costs $5 and you can get one from the Florida Department of State website. You may need a COS to conduct business as a foreign (out-of-state) entity. A few other reasons you may need a COS include:
You may need to get a “doing business as” (DBA) name in Florida if you plan to do business under another name. In this state, a DBA is known as a “fictitious name” and must be filed with the Department of State’s Division of Corporations for a fee of $50.
If you own an LLC in another state but want to expand to Florida, then you’ll need to register it as a foreign LLC by filing the “Application by Foreign LLC for Authorization to Transact Business in Florida” form with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Corporations.
The cost will be $125 including a registered agent.
Like any business, you’ll need to file certain licenses and permits for your Florida LLC depending on your location and which industry you’re in. Be sure to do your homework to remain compliant.
Florida requires annual fees to ensure that LLCs are compliant. For example, an annual report is due every year between January 1st and May 1st. If you’re late submitting this report, you’ll be subject to a $400 late fee on top of the regular fee of $138.75, meaning your total would be $538.75.
Be sure to stay on top of your fees.
If you’re unable to pay your filing fee for your Florida LLC, then the state will reject your application.
You’ll pay the necessary filing fees for your LLC to the Florida Department of State’s Division of Corporations.
It’s hard to say which fee will be highest when forming your LLC since you’ll inevitably need different licenses and permits. In general, the highest fee you’ll pay is the initial filing fee of $125
with the additional $25 fee for a registered agent for a total of $125.
Florida offers many convenient ways to pay for your company’s filing fees. These include:
LLCs offer many benefits compared to other business entities. One that many business owners favor is liability protection. If your LLC has a legal issue like a lawsuit, then your personal assets will be kept separate from your business assets. LLCs are also known for their tax flexibility and easy startup process.
Here comes the fun part: naming your LLC! Here are a few things to consider when doing this.
There are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind when naming your LLC:
If you’ve come up with a few candidates for a name, we can help you choose one.
Run your name through our business name checker to make sure it’s available. If you find the one you want and would like to reserve it while you get your business set up, we can also help with that.
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All formal businesses in Florida are legally required to have a registered agent.
A registered agent is your business’s point of contact and must be available during normal business hours. Their main responsibility is to accept legal notices, like lawsuits. The registered agent must be an individual who resides in Florida and whose business address matches the address of the registered office.
In Florida, you can be your own registered agent but this might not be a good choice since legal notices will be delivered in person to your place of business. With a registered agent, notices will be delivered to their address.
A registered agent guarantees availability at their given address in order to handle any requirements on your behalf. Although registered agents require a fee for their services, it’s something you should consider as a business owner.
Before you’re legally allowed to do business in Florida as an LLC, you’ll need to file your Articles of Organization. You’ll need to file with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Corporation either online or by mail for a fee of $100.
If you’re ready to get started on filing to make your LLC a legitimate business in Florida, then the Florida Department of State’s Division of Corporations has a webpage dedicated to letting you know what you’ll need to do and which forms you’ll need to file.
We highly suggest that you draft an operating agreement for your Florida LLC. Florida doesn’t require LLCs to have operating agreements, but it’s best to draft one anyway since these documents have some benefits.
Here’s what an operating agreement can do, among other things:
Do what’s right for your business and your partners by having us help you get an operating agreement in Florida.
Along with an operating agreement, you should also consider getting an Employer Identification Number (EIN). An EIN registers your LLC with the federal government and can prove to be useful for tax purposes.
EINs are also known as Federal Tax IDs and can help you secure a business bank account, which is a great option to have when separating your business’s income from your own.
We offer a fast EIN service, but if you’d prefer, you can get one from the IRS as well.
Now that you’ve done the hard part, it’s time to do business! However, there are a few things you’ll need to take care of before finally running your LLC.
Many businesses in the U.S. are required to pay a franchise tax. In Florida, a franchise tax is filed with Florida Form-1120. Be sure to take note of this when tax season arrives.
You can avoid costly fees, like filing your annual report late (a $400 fee as we mentioned earlier), by using our Annual Report Service. You’ll get important notifications and help with filing your annual report.
You’ll inevitably have to make changes to your business over time as it grows. Other things like getting a new registered agent or opening or relocating will need to be documented for legal reasons.
Any change with your LLC’s structure or how it does business will need an amendment. Learn more about Florida LLC amendments.
Staying compliant is critical for your business’s success, so check out our Worry-Free Compliance Service that offers two amendments per year so you remain compliant with Florida’s laws.
Starting a business can seem like a really daunting task when going at it alone. Fortunately, you don’t have to! We’re here to help with our large variety of business formation services. Many of our services can also help you run and grow your LLC in Florida, so get started today!
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