How to register a business in Florida (Sunbiz, step by step)

To register a business in Florida, you file with the Florida Division of Corporations on its website, Sunbiz. An LLC costs $125 to register, a profit corporation $70, and a fictitious name (a "DBA") $50. A sole proprietor working under their own legal name doesn't register anything with the state. Every LLC and corporation then files an annual report by May 1.

This guide walks through each step on Sunbiz, with the fees as listed in October 2026 and a link to the official page for each.

I build websites for small businesses and don't give legal or tax advice. Choosing between an LLC and a corporation is worth an hour with a Florida accountant or attorney.

1. Structure
2. Name
3. Registered agent
4. File on Sunbiz
5. EIN
6. Annual report

Six steps from choosing a structure to the annual report.

What it costs

The certified copy and certificate of status are optional.

Step 1: choose the structure

An LLC is a common choice, but the right answer depends on your taxes and your risk. That's the one question in this guide where professional advice is worth paying for. For the bigger picture, see starting a business in Florida.

Step 2: choose and check the name

Check that the name you want isn't already taken by searching Sunbiz before you file.

While you're at it, check two more things:

• The domain. Is yourbusiness.com available? A name you can't get online is harder to use. When you find it, register it in your own name.
• The name you'll use with customers. If it differs from the registered name, you may need a fictitious name too (step 5).

Step 3: pick a registered agent

Every Florida LLC must keep a registered office and a registered agent, the person or company that receives official legal papers for the business. Florida law says the agent can be an individual who lives in Florida and whose business address is the registered office, or an authorized business entity at that address.

You can be your own registered agent if you live in Florida and that address is your business address, or you can pay a registered agent service. Either way, the designation fee is part of the Sunbiz filing.

Step 4: file on Sunbiz

The filing itself is online. You'll be asked for the business name, its addresses, the registered agent, and who runs the business. Typing your name in the signature block counts as signing online.

• For an LLC, you file the Articles of Organization: $100, plus $25 for the registered agent designation.
• For a profit corporation, you file the Articles of Incorporation: $35, plus $35 for the registered agent designation.

Sunbiz processes filings in the order it receives them and confirms once the Division of Corporations has examined and approved yours.

Step 5: register a fictitious name, if you use one

A fictitious name is any name you do business under that isn't your legal name. Florida law is plain about it: you may not do business under a fictitious name until you register it.

You need one if, for example:

• You're a sole proprietor named Ana Pérez, working as "Ana's Cleaning".
• Your LLC is "Pérez Services LLC", but customers know you as "Sparkle Home Cleaning". Ask Sunbiz if you're unsure whether this applies to your entity.

On Sunbiz, a fictitious name costs $50. The name must be advertised at least once in a newspaper in the county where your business is located, and the registration is valid for five years, expiring on December 31 of the final year.

Step 6: get an EIN

Once the business exists, get its federal tax ID, the EIN, from the IRS. It's free, online, and usually issued immediately. The IRS warns you never have to pay for an EIN, so ignore sites that charge for it. Your bank will likely ask for it when you open the business account.

Step 7: file the annual report every year

Every LLC and corporation files an annual report on Sunbiz to keep its information current. It's due by May 1. The fee is $138.75 for an LLC and $150 for a profit corporation. File after May 1 and a $400 late fee applies, which by law can't be waived. If you still haven't filed by the third Friday of September, the business is administratively dissolved at the close of business on the fourth Friday.

Set a yearly reminder well before May, so the deadline never surprises you.

How long it takes

• The EIN is usually issued immediately when you apply online.
• Sunbiz filings are processed in the order they're received, and you get a confirmation once the Division of Corporations approves yours.
• A fictitious name needs its newspaper notice in your county, so allow time to arrange it.
• Licenses and local receipts come after registration and can take longer, especially when an inspection is involved, as with a restaurant.

If you have a launch date in mind, register the business and the domain first, then work through licenses while the website is being built. A website takes about two weeks once the content is ready.

What to keep after you register

Keep these in one folder, digital and paper, from day one:

• Your filed Articles of Organization or Incorporation and the Sunbiz confirmation.
• Your EIN confirmation from the IRS.
• Your fictitious name registration, if you have one, and its expiry date five years out.
• Your registered agent's name and address.
• Your Sunbiz login, and a calendar reminder for the annual report before May 1.
• Your local business tax receipts and their renewal dates.

Banks, landlords, accountants and licensing offices ask for these again and again, and having them together saves time every time.

Common mistakes

• Paying a website for your EIN. The IRS gives it for free.
• Missing the May 1 annual report. The $400 late fee is more than the report itself.
• Using a name before registering it. If you trade under a fictitious name, register it first.
• A registered agent who can't be reached. Legal papers go to that address. If you move, update it on Sunbiz.
• Registering the business but not the domain. Someone else can take the name online. Register the domain in your own name the same day.

What comes after registering

Registering on Sunbiz creates the business. Licenses and the rest come next:

1. Licenses and local business tax receipts. Most businesses need a county receipt, and a city receipt if they're inside city limits. Regulated work needs a state license. Florida's license rules explain which ones apply to you.
2. Sales tax registration, if you sell taxable goods or services, with the Florida Department of Revenue.
3. A business bank account, with your Sunbiz documents and your EIN.
4. Getting online: a Google Business Profile and a website. Here's what the website should include and what it costs. In Lakeland and Polk County or Miami and Hialeah, we can also meet in person.

Questions people ask about registering a business in Florida

How much does it cost to register an LLC in Florida? $125 on Sunbiz: $100 for the Articles of Organization and $25 for the registered agent designation. Then $138.75 every year for the annual report.

Do I need to register a sole proprietorship in Florida? Not with the state, if you work under your own legal name. If you use any other name, register it as a fictitious name first. You may still need local business tax receipts.

Can I be my own registered agent in Florida? Yes, if you live in Florida and your business address is the registered office address.

What is Sunbiz? The website of the Florida Division of Corporations, where you form LLCs and corporations, register fictitious names, file annual reports and search registered business names.

What happens if I miss the annual report? After May 1, a $400 late fee applies. If it's still not filed by the third Friday of September, the business is administratively dissolved.

Sources

1. Sunbiz: Florida LLC filing
2. Sunbiz: Florida profit corporation filing
3. Sunbiz: Fictitious name registration
4. Sunbiz: Annual report
5. Sunbiz: Search by entity name
6. Florida Statutes 605.0113: Registered agent
7. Florida Statutes 865.09: Fictitious name registration
8. IRS: Get an Employer Identification Number
9. Florida Department of Revenue: Sales and use tax