How to Start an LLC in Florida

How do you file an LLC in Florida yourself?

The Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, runs business filings through its Sunbiz website. Its LLC formation packet (Form CR2E047) covers the Articles of Organization and the registered agent designation in one filing ^[1]. You can do every step yourself.

1. Check the name. Search the name on Sunbiz before you file. The name has to meet Florida's LLC naming rules in section 605.0112 of the Florida Statutes.
2. Choose a registered agent. The agent must accept the appointment in writing. The next section covers who can serve.
3. Fill out the Articles of Organization. Florida law requires the LLC name, the street and mailing addresses of the principal office, and the name, Florida street address and written acceptance of the initial registered agent ^[2]. The person who signs affirms that the LLC has or will have at least one member when the articles take effect.
4. File online and pay. File directly with the state on Sunbiz, the Division of Corporations site at dos.fl.gov/sunbiz. The filing fee is $125 as of November 2026 ^[1].
5. Get an EIN. Apply with the IRS once the state has filed your articles (details below).
6. Sign an operating agreement. It is not one of the items the articles must contain under section 605.0201, so keep it with your records rather than filing it.

If you are still deciding what business to start, our guides to starting a business and the startup cost calculator help you plan the first year.

How much does an LLC cost in Florida?

Florida's formation cost has two parts, set in section 605.0213 of the Florida Statutes: $100 for filing the Articles of Organization and $25 for designating a registered agent, as of November 2026 ^[3]. Together they make the $125 you pay when you file.

Cost	Amount (as of November 2026)	Source
Articles of Organization	$100	Florida Statutes 605.0213 [3]
Registered agent designation	$25	Florida Statutes 605.0213 [3]
Certified copy (optional)	$30	Florida Statutes 605.0213 [3]
Certificate of status (optional)	$5	Florida Statutes 605.0213 [3]
Annual report, every year	$138.75, January 1 to May 1	Division of Corporations packet [1]
Annual report late fee	$400 after May 1	Division of Corporations packet [1]
EIN	Free	IRS

The yearly annual report costs more than forming the LLC did. The Division of Corporations packet says the report must be filed online between January 1 and May 1 each year, starting the year after formation, with a $138.75 fee ^[1]. That amount is the $50 annual report fee in section 605.0213 plus an $88.75 annual supplemental fee in section 607.193 of the Florida Statutes ^[4].

What does a Florida LLC cost in its first two years?

Adding the official fees gives a simple budget. Forming the LLC costs $125. The first annual report, due between January 1 and May 1 of the next year, costs $138.75. That is $263.75 in state fees by the time your first report is filed, as of November 2026, before any optional copies, licenses or paid services ^[1]. Each later year adds another $138.75 if you file on time.

Florida sits in the middle of the launch states we cover. Texas charges $300 ^[6], California $70 ^[7], Georgia $100 ^[8] and North Carolina $125 ^[9], all as of November 2026.

Our LLC by state hub compares more states, and the Texas LLC guide and California LLC guide cover those two in detail.

Do you need a registered agent in Florida?

Yes. Every Florida LLC must keep a registered agent and a registered office in the state, and the Articles of Organization must name the initial agent. Under section 605.0113 of the Florida Statutes, the agent can be ^[5]:

• an individual who lives in Florida and whose business address is the same as the registered office;
• another Florida business entity that is authorized to act as an agent; or
• an out-of-state business entity that is authorized to do business in Florida.

The agent must file a written statement accepting the appointment and confirming it understands the duties. Designating the agent is part of the formation filing, which is why the $125 total includes the $25 designation fee ^[3].

If you change agents later, the same section of the statutes sets a $25 fee for filing a certificate changing a registered agent, as of November 2026 ^[3]. The new agent has to accept in writing too. Keep the agent current: the agent is where lawsuits and official notices for the LLC are delivered, so an agent who has moved away or stopped answering can leave you unaware of a deadline.

Many owners who live in Florida serve as their own agent. If you do not want your address on the public record, are often away during business hours, or live in another state, a commercial registered agent is the usual alternative. It is a paid service, and its fee is in addition to the state fee.

What comes after filing?

Once the Division of Corporations files your articles, the LLC exists. A few steps follow.

• EIN. The IRS issues an EIN for free, and "you never have to pay a fee for an EIN." The IRS advises forming your LLC with the state before you apply, or your application may be delayed ^[10]. Use it to open a business bank account.
• Operating agreement. Write down ownership shares, who manages, how profits are split and what happens if a member leaves. A one-member LLC benefits too, because it shows the business is separate from you.
• Annual report. File between January 1 and May 1 every year, starting the year after you form. Put it on your calendar now.
• State taxes. If you sell taxable goods or services or hire employees, check with the Florida Department of Revenue which registrations apply to your business.
• Local licenses. Cities and counties set their own business tax receipts, permits and zoning rules. Check both before you open.

Should you file yourself or use a formation service?

You can file the articles yourself on Sunbiz in one sitting, and the state charges the same $125 whether you or someone else submits them ^[1]. An online formation service can prepare and submit the articles for you, and some also act as your registered agent. Their fee is in addition to the state fee.

	File yourself	Online formation service
Paid to the state	$125	$125, paid through the service
Service fee	None	Extra, on top of the state fee
Time to prepare	As long as it takes to gather names and addresses	Similar: you still answer the same questions
Registered agent	You or someone who accepts in writing	Often offered as a separate yearly service
What you still do	Everything below	EIN, operating agreement, annual report, taxes, local licenses

A service does not lower the state fee or the annual report fee. Before you buy, check whether it also files your annual report, because missing May 1 is the most expensive mistake on this page.