How to Start a Small Business in Florida

Florida is genuinely friendly to new service businesses: no personal state income tax, a fast online filing system, and a large, growing customer base. But it has two quirks that surprise new owners — a mandatory annual report with a hard May 1 deadline, and a licensing structure where the state and your county may both need to approve you. Here is the realistic sequence.

Step 1: File on Sunbiz

Florida runs all entity filings through Sunbiz (sunbiz.org), the Division of Corporations site. An LLC costs $125 to file; a corporation is less, plus registered agent arrangements. Electronic filings are typically approved within a couple of business days, and you can reserve a name first if you want to be careful.

Sole proprietors using a trade name file a fictitious name registration through Sunbiz instead — it is cheap and fast.

Step 2: Register for sales tax

If you sell taxable goods or taxable services, register with the Florida Department of Revenue before your first sale. The state rate is 6%, and counties add discretionary sales surtaxes on top, so your combined rate depends on where the sale happens. Depending on your sales volume, the Department assigns you a monthly, quarterly, or semiannual filing schedule, and electronic filing is required.

Step 3: State and county licensing — check both

Florida regulates many occupations through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR): construction contractors (certified licenses, valid statewide), real estate, cosmetology, barbers, and restaurants. The Florida Real Estate Commission and Construction Industry Licensing Board sit under DBPR.

The Florida-specific catch: many counties require a separate local contractor license even if you hold a state certification, because permits are pulled at the county level. Before you quote your first job, check your county contractor licensing office — Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, and Hillsborough all run their own processes.

Step 4: The Florida-specific filings

• Annual report: $138.75, due May 1 for LLCs, every year, with a late penalty after that date. This is the single most common Florida compliance miss.
• Workers compensation: required in construction with one or more employees, and in most other industries at four or more employees. Construction exemptions exist but are narrow.
• Reemployment tax (Florida unemployment tax): register with the Florida Department of Revenue once you hire.

What launching in Florida typically costs

• LLC filing on Sunbiz: $125
• Annual report: $138.75 per year
• Sales tax registration: free
• General liability insurance: commonly $50 to $150 per month for a solo service business

The 30-day version

Week 1: file the LLC on Sunbiz and get your EIN. Week 2: sales tax registration, county license check, and a business bank account. Week 3: pricing and your first invoice and estimate templates. Week 4: outreach and your first ten prospects.

Our 100-step course covers this sequence step by step, with tools to price jobs, track leads, and invoice from your phone. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice; confirm current requirements on Sunbiz and the Florida Department of Revenue sites.