Florida LLC Cost: Every Fee You Will Pay in Year One
Florida is a favorite for new LLCs: $125 to form, no state income tax, and online filing through Sunbiz that usually approves within a week.
The fee that catches people off guard arrives in year two. Florida’s annual report costs $138.75, and missing the May 1 deadline quadruples it. Here is every dollar you will pay in year one, plus the deadlines that protect you.
Year One at a Glance
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | $125 | At formation (includes $25 agent designation) |
| Registered agent service | $0 to $300/yr | Optional if you serve yourself |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 | Free, about 15 minutes online |
| Operating agreement | $0 to $500 | Optional but recommended |
| Certified copy of filing | $30 | Optional |
| Certificate of status | $5 | Optional |
| Local business tax receipt | $50 to $150/yr | Varies by city and county |
| Annual report | $138.75 | Jan 1 to May 1 of year two |
The $125 Filing Fee
Florida’s Articles of Organization cost $100, plus a $25 fee to designate your registered agent, for $125 total. File online through Sunbiz, the Division of Corporations portal at the Florida Department of State. Current processing runs about a week.
Two optional add-ons: a certified copy of your filing for $30 and a certificate of status for $5. Banks sometimes ask for the certificate of status, so it is cheap insurance if you plan to open a business account right away.
Registered Agent: $0 to $300
Florida requires a registered agent with a Florida street address. You can be your own agent at no cost if you have a Florida address and are available during business hours. Just know your address becomes public record.
Commercial registered agent services typically charge $100 to $300 a year and keep your home address off Sunbiz. For home-based businesses, the privacy alone is usually worth it.
EIN and Operating Agreement
Your EIN is free from the IRS and takes about 15 minutes online. You will need it to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file federal taxes. Never pay a formation service for one; the IRS issues them at no cost.
Florida does not require an operating agreement, but every LLC with more than one member should have one. It sets ownership percentages, profit splits, and what happens when someone leaves. A simple template works for most small businesses; a lawyer-drafted agreement runs $300 to $500 and is worth it once real money is involved.
Common Mistakes That Cost Florida Founders Money
The most expensive mistake is the late annual report: $400 for filing after May 1. The second is using a home address as the registered agent address to save $150 a year, then getting served with a lawsuit in front of the neighbors. Privacy has value.
The third is forgetting the local business tax receipt. Cities do enforce it, and the fines exceed the original fee. None of these are complicated. They just require a calendar and thirty minutes of attention once a year.
How Filing on Sunbiz Works
Sunbiz is Florida’s online filing portal, and the Articles of Organization form takes about 15 minutes. You will enter the LLC name, principal address, registered agent name and address, and the names of managers or authorized representatives.
Florida requires an electronic signature from the registered agent accepting the role. If you are your own agent, that is just you. Pay the $125 by card or prepaid E-File account, and approval typically lands within a week.
The Annual Report: $138.75 You Cannot Skip
Your first annual report is due in the calendar year after you form, between January 1 and May 1, filed online at Sunbiz. It is a simple information update, and the fee is $138.75. File between January 1 and May 1, or the $138.75 report becomes $538.75.
Miss May 1 and pay $538.75
File even one day late and Florida adds a $400 late fee, bringing the total to $538.75. There is no grace period and no waiver for first-timers.
Keep missing it and the state will administratively dissolve your LLC, which means losing liability protection until you reinstate. Put a recurring reminder on your calendar for January, not April.
Costs People Forget
Florida has no general state business license, but many cities and counties require a local business tax receipt, usually $50 to $150 a year. If you sell taxable goods, register for sales tax with the Department of Revenue.
A fictitious name (DBA) registration costs $50 if you operate under a name different from your LLC’s legal name. None of these are state LLC fees, but they are real year-one costs.
Year Two and Beyond
After year one, Florida settles into a simple rhythm: one annual report between January 1 and May 1 at $138.75. No state income tax return for the LLC itself, no franchise tax, no biennial surprises.
Budget roughly $140 a year to the state plus whatever your registered agent and local business tax receipt cost. Compared to Delaware’s $400 annual tax or California’s $800, Florida’s maintenance cost is one of the gentlest in the country. If you move, update your principal address on Sunbiz the same week. The state sends dissolution warnings to the address on file, and founders have lost LLCs over a forwarding problem.
Florida vs. Other Popular States
| State | Formation | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $125 | $138.75 |
| Texas | $300 | $0 |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 |
| Delaware | $110 | $400 |
Florida sits in the affordable middle: cheaper to start than Texas, cheaper to maintain than Delaware. See every state in our 50-state fee table, and compare startup costs with our Texas cost guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is $125 really the total cost to form a Florida LLC?
Yes, if you do it yourself and skip the extras. The $125 covers the Articles of Organization and the registered agent designation. Your EIN is free from the IRS, and Florida does not require you to file an operating agreement. That covers the state paperwork; licenses and agent services are extra.
When is my first annual report due?
In the calendar year after formation, between January 1 and May 1. Form in 2026 and your first report is due by May 1, 2027. The fee is $138.75 when filed on time.
What happens if I do not file the annual report?
The $400 late fee applies immediately after May 1, and continued non-filing leads to administrative dissolution. Dissolution strips your liability protection, so treat this deadline as non-negotiable.
Does Florida have a state income tax on LLCs?
No. Florida has no personal income tax, and most LLCs pay no state income tax on their profits. You may still owe federal taxes, and C corporations face Florida’s corporate income tax, but the typical small LLC does not.
How do I change my registered agent?
File a Statement of Change of Registered Office or Agent with the Division of Corporations. There is a small filing fee, and the change takes effect when processed. Do it before your agent resigns, not after, to avoid a gap in coverage.
Can I expedite a Florida LLC filing?
Florida does not offer formal expedited processing the way Texas does. Online filings through Sunbiz are already the fastest route at about a week. If you need proof of existence immediately, the $5 certificate of status is usually available as soon as the filing posts.
What is Sunbiz and is it legit?
Sunbiz is the official online portal of the Florida Division of Corporations, run by the Department of State. It is the only place to file Florida LLC documents online. Third-party sites that charge extra to “file for you” are just submitting the same Sunbiz form with a markup.
Does Florida require an operating agreement?
No, but you should have one anyway. Florida law does not mandate it and you do not file it with the state, but without one, state default rules decide ownership disputes, profit splits, and buyouts. A written agreement keeps those decisions in your hands.
Can a non-resident form a Florida LLC?
Yes. Florida has no residency or citizenship requirement for LLC members. You will need a Florida registered agent with a physical Florida address, which is where a commercial service earns its fee. Our home-state vs. Wyoming guide also covers when forming out of state backfires.
