Do Ni Need To Register In Each County In Florida Where I Will E Conducting Businiss

Starting a concern in Florida? You may be wondering, "Practise I demand a business organization license?" The answer is maybe. Not all Florida businesses require a license to operate in the country, but many kinds of businesses do. Licensing and permitting requirements depend largely on the kind of work you exercise and where you operate.

And if the land, or your county or urban center discovers you're operating without a required license or let, you could be ordered to stop doing business, pay a fine, or fifty-fifty face criminal charges. No, thanks.

In this guide, we'll explain how to determine when a business license is required, how to get a business license in Florida and the requirements to register a Florida LLC if you need to.

Practice you need a business license in Florida?

Florida doesn't require or issue a land-wide business operating license. That means you don't have to have a license from the state of Florida but to run your business concern in the state.

Yet, just like all other states, Florida law does require country licenses and certifications for occupations that crave all-encompassing training – or expose consumers to potential hazards.

Those occupations include:

Medical professionals
Lawyers
Accountants
Building contractors and other structure-related occupations
Barbers and cosmetologists
Architects, Interior Designers, and Engineers
Real estate brokers and salespersons, and
Private investigators and other security services

The master issuer of business licenses is the Florida Section of Business concern and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

They provide a comprehensive list of all of the occupations it regulates, a corking go-to when you're trying to determine if your business needs a license.

Yous can likewise find additional information on business concern license requirements from:

The Florida Lath of Architecture and Interior Blueprint.
The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Local business licenses in Florida

You might think you're in the articulate if your manufacture doesn't require a statewide license or permit. Think again. There's a potent take chances you'll need to get a local business license.

Near all Florida counties require businesses to obtain a business concern tax receipt before doing business in the county. This requirement applies to all businesses, including ane-person, home-based operations. Many cities (such as Miami) require a business taxation receipt in addition to the canton license. In gild to receive a business tax receipt you must check with the county revenue enhancement collector to encounter if you need a license and so annals your concern with the Florida Section of Revenue.

Federal licenses and permits

For nigh small-scale businesses, the federal authorities doesn't crave licenses or permits. But some activities are regulated by one or more than federal agencies – and those activities might. Your best course of action is

You might need a federal license if you operate in these areas:

Agriculture
Alcoholic beverages
Aviation
Firearms, ammunition, and explosives
Fish and wildlife
Commercial fisheries
Maritime transportation
Mining and drilling
Nuclear energy
Radio and television dissemination
Transportation and logistics

What does that look like in practise? Let's say your business is involved with radio and television broadcasting. In this case, y'all'd exist regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. That's where you lot would offset your search on federal licensing and permitting.

Contact the federal agency in charge of the activities relevant to your business, and notice out which licenses you're required to have.

Tip: You lot can access a listing of all federally licensed activities, along with links to more information, through the U.Due south. Small Business Administration.

Is a business license the same as an LLC?

An LLC and a business license are not the same thing – though they're both related to setting up a business in Florida.

An LLC (express liability company) is a type of business structure that determines financial and legal liabilities. Unlike a sole proprietorship, it offers a layer of protection from the business owner – and separates the business from you as a person, protecting your things similar your home and personal investments. That house? Information technology's yours and they tin't have it!

You also take the power to request a change to how you lot're taxed when you're an LLC. That's where the S Corp ballot comes in – which is a fancy way of asking the regime to give your taxes a piddling switcheroo.

"Business license" is a general term that refers to whatsoever licenses, permits, or certifications required to sell appurtenances or services. Dissimilar types of licenses are required and issued by federal, land, and local authorities agencies that regulate business activities and services.

Which business licenses your business requires depends on where you lot're located and what kind of services y'all perform.

How to employ for a business license in Florida

Obtaining a business organization license in Florida varies by occupation and the location of your business concern. The state of Florida doesn't require or issue a country-wide business operating license. Instead, it regulates some industries and professionals, like doctors, lawyers and accountants.

You probable have to get a business operating license from your city or canton, though requirements vary. Localities in the state mostly call this type of concern license a "business revenue enhancement receipt," and information technology exists to register your business with the local tax authorities.

Steps to register a business organization in Florida

Follow these steps to set up your new business concern and get the necessary licenses to operate in Florida.

1. Proper noun and grade your LLC

Before y'all can apply for licenses in your concern'due south name, you lot have to form your business in the state of Florida. That'south true even if y'all're a business of one, in which case yous'll grade a single fellow member LLC in Florida.

To class your business, y'all take to cull a name following Florida'due south guidelines for naming an LLC, then file your manufactures of organization with the Florida Department of State. If you lot are non using your own name for the business, you will need to utilise for fictitious name registration.

Incorporation of your LLC in Florida costs between $125 and $160.

If you're going to operate as a sole proprietor, you can skip this pace and apply for business organisation licenses in your name, instead.

ii. Apply for your statewide license(southward) (if applicable)

Now you know some occupations in Florida require a special license to perform services. Based on the information to a higher place, you lot can determine whether your business will be subject to any of those requirements.

Different government agencies event licenses for dissimilar occupations. Florida'southward online resources, SunBiz.org, provides additional guidance.

3. Determine which local licenses you need

Most Florida counties require a local business organisation tax receipt. Many Florida cities require a city-specific revenue enhancement receipt on pinnacle of that. Whether your city or county requires these depends on their tax drove policies and your business location.

Check with the metropolis and county governments where your business is located to determine their requirements. If yous piece of work online and/or from home, your location is your habitation — or a unique accost y'all adopted for the business, which you would have included when you registered the LLC.

The Florida Department of Revenue lists searchable links to county revenue enhancement collectors.

4. Use for your Florida concern license(s)

Y'all ordinarily have the option of applying for your license online. If not, you can download an application and email or postal service it to the appropriate party.

Here'southward the information you'll likely need to provide when applying for a canton or local business license in Florida:

Social Security Number or Federal Employment Identification Number
A description of your business activities
Your legal business concern name and any fictitious name (a.k.a. Doing Business As or "DBA")
Your business offset date
Number of employees and expected annual sales
Business organisation address and contact information
Each concern owner's contact information
Your business concern sales revenue enhancement number, if any
Your manufacture code under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) — an online application generally has a lookup pick for this code.
Evidence of required professional or commercial certifications for your occupation

five. Apply for federal licenses and taxation treatment as necessary

Like the state of Florida, the U.S. government does non require or issue a general, nationwide business organisation operating license. Various government agencies regulate some industries, though. Keep reading for our detailed listing of which industries crave federal licenses or permits.

If you've organized your business organisation equally an LLC (or corporation), you tin too elect corporate federal tax treatment with the IRS, typically as an S Corp or a C Corp.

How long does it have to go a business license in Florida?

Afterwards submitting your application, you'll commonly receive your concern tax receipt inside a few weeks in the mail or you may be able to download it from your canton or city website.

One time you get it, yous might be required to postal service it at your place of business — mostly the case if you're open up to the public. Read the instructions that accompany the license to determine any requirements.

Cost to get a business license in Florida

Florida business organization license fees vary by locality, likewise every bit the nature and size of your business. They could range from as low as $25 to as high equally a few hundred dollars. You lot have to renew the license and pay a fee every year.

If y'all organize your concern as an LLC or a corporation, you'll also have to pay the fees associated with filling those with the Department of State.

How to renew a Florida business license

Nearly business licenses must exist renewed annually or every few years. Depending on the type of license(s) you have, you may have to renew straight with the issuing agency.

The Florida Department of Business concern and Professional Regulation offers resource and portals to help you connect with the right data to keep your licenses upwards to date.

FAQs about a Florida business license

Does an LLC demand a business license in Florida?

Florida doesn't necessarily require all businesses of whatsoever structure to obtain a license. The state doesn't outcome or require a business operating license. It regulates and requires licenses or permits for some business activities. Most businesses are required to obtain a business organization license, chosen a "tax receipt", with their county and/or city.

Do I demand a business license in Florida to sell online?

The operating location of your online business is typically the concrete place where you do business organisation. This is normally the address you listing every bit your business address for tax purposes, whether it'due south your home or some other location. Your business is regulated by the state, canton and metropolis where you operate. If you're located in Florida, follow Florida and local regulations to obtain the proper licenses and permits to sell goods and services.

How much does an LLC cost in Florida?

The fees to file Articles of System for an LLC in Florida are betwixt $125 and $160, depending on which optional add-ons you choose.

Do LLCs pay taxes in Florida?

For tax purposes, an LLC is considered a "laissez passer-through entity." This means business organization profits and losses are passed onto the owner to be taxed as personal – every bit opposed to corporate – income. Because Florida doesn't collect personal income revenue enhancement, LLCs are exempt from paying income tax, as well.

Y'all'll all the same pay federal income taxes, and demand to be aware of requirements for estimated taxation payments, payroll tax obligations, and other federal requirements.

TL;DR: You probably demand a business license in Florida

Fifty-fifty a Business-of-One is likely required to get a business organization license in Florida. Some businesses need to go special licenses and permits from the country, but most just need a concern tax receipt (i.e. full general business organization license) from their local county and peradventure their city.

The operating requirements — including annual renewals — tin can go overwhelming and hard to proceed track of, which is why we created Collective to aid.

After you join Collective, we'll sort through all of the important details of your licensing requirements. Plus we remind you when it's time to renew, so you never miss a deadline or pay a late fee. This way, you lot tin focus on running your concern.

Stephen has defended his career every bit an chaser and writer to writing useful, administrative and recognized guides on taxes and business organisation law for small businesses, entrepreneurs, independent contractors, and freelancers. He is the author of over 20 books and hundreds of articles and has been quoted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, and many other publications. Amid his books are Deduct It! Lower Your Pocket-size Business concern Taxes, Working with Independent Contractors, and Working for Yourself: Constabulary and Taxes for Independent Contractors, Freelancers & Consultants.