How to Incorporate a Business in Florida

Filing fee: $70 (Articles of Incorporation, base fee); $35 registered agent designation fee included in filing

Processing time: 3–5 business days online; same-day or 24-hour expedited processing available for an additional fee

State agency: Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) — dos.fl.gov/sunbiz

Annual report due: January 1 – May 1 each year; $150 filing fee for profit corporations ($400 late fee after May 1)

State tax rate: 5.5% Florida corporate income tax; no personal income tax in Florida

To incorporate in Florida, you file Articles of Incorporation with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations and pay the $70 state filing fee. You'll also need a registered agent with a Florida street address, a unique business name, and an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS before you can open a bank account or hire employees.

Most entrepreneurs are surprised by how straightforward the Florida filing process is — the state's online portal, Sunbiz, handles everything in one place.

Step 1: Choose and check your business name

Your corporation's name must be unique in Florida and include a corporate designator — "Corporation," "Corp.," "Incorporated," or "Inc." Check name availability through the Florida Division of Corporations website at dos.fl.gov/sunbiz before you file. If your preferred name is available but you're not ready to file, you can reserve it for 120 days for a $35 fee.

Step 2: Appoint a registered agent

Florida requires every corporation to have a registered agent — a person or business with a physical street address in Florida who can receive legal documents on your behalf. You name your registered agent directly on the Articles of Incorporation. The registered agent must sign the filing to accept the appointment.

Step 3: File your Articles of Incorporation

File your Articles of Incorporation online through Sunbiz at dos.fl.gov/sunbiz or by mail to the Florida Division of Corporations. The base filing fee is $70. Online filings are processed in 3–5 business days; expedited same-day or 24-hour processing is available for an additional fee. Your Articles must include your business name, principal office address, registered agent information, and the names of your incorporators.

Step 4: Get your Employer Identification Number (EIN)

An EIN is a federal tax ID number issued by the IRS. Florida corporations need one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file federal taxes. Apply for an EIN free of charge through the IRS online EIN Assistant — it's available Monday through Friday, 7 AM – 10 PM ET, and you'll get your number immediately after completing the application.

Step 5: Adopt bylaws and hold an organizational meeting

Florida law doesn't require you to file your corporate bylaws with the state, but you do need them. Bylaws govern how your corporation runs — board structure, officer roles, voting procedures, and how shares are issued. After adopting bylaws, hold an organizational meeting to elect directors and officers, issue initial shares, and authorize a business bank account. Keep minutes of this meeting in your corporate records.

Step 6: Register for Florida business taxes

Florida corporations that sell taxable goods or services, or that have employees, need to register with the Florida Department of Revenue. You'll register for sales and use tax, reemployment tax (if you have employees), and any other applicable state taxes through the Florida Department of Revenue's online portal. Florida's corporate income tax rate is 5.5% — there's no personal income tax, which is one of the state's real advantages for business owners.

Florida is one of the more business-friendly states in the country. There's no personal income tax, a 5.5% corporate income tax rate, and a large, diverse economy that spans tourism, technology, healthcare, and international trade. The state also offers targeted incentives for job creation, capital investment, and renewable energy production — your corporation may qualify depending on its industry and hiring plans.

Beyond the tax picture, Florida's Sunbiz portal makes the filing process straightforward. Online filings process in 3–5 business days, and the state's annual report system keeps ongoing compliance manageable.

When you file Articles of Incorporation in Florida, your business is a C Corporation by default. That's the right structure for businesses planning to raise outside investment or issue multiple classes of stock. If you want pass-through taxation — where profits flow to shareholders and are taxed once at the individual level — you can elect S Corporation status with the IRS after forming your Florida corporation.

C Corporation

A C Corporation is the default Florida corporation structure. It can have unlimited shareholders, issue multiple classes of stock, and attract venture capital or institutional investors. C Corps pay Florida's 5.5% corporate income tax on profits, and shareholders pay personal income tax on dividends — this is the "double taxation" trade-off that comes with the structure. For businesses planning to grow large or go public, it's the right choice.

S Corporation

An S Corporation is a tax election, not a separate entity type. You form a Florida corporation first, then file IRS Form 2553 to elect S Corp status. Profits and losses pass through to shareholders' personal tax returns, avoiding the double taxation of a C Corp. S Corps are limited to 100 shareholders, all of whom must be U.S. citizens or residents. A tax professional can help you figure out whether the S Corp election makes sense for your situation.

Filing your Articles of Incorporation is the legal start — but there are a few more steps before your Florida corporation is fully operational. Getting these right early saves time and headaches later.

• Open a business bank account using your EIN and Articles of Incorporation — keeping business and personal finances separate is essential for liability protection

• File your Florida annual report between January 1 and May 1 each year through Sunbiz; the fee is $150 for profit corporations, and missing the May 1 deadline triggers a $400 late fee

• Get any required local business licenses — Florida doesn't have a statewide general business license, but many counties and cities require one

• Issue stock certificates to initial shareholders and record the issuance in your corporate records

• Talk to a tax professional about estimated quarterly tax payments if your corporation will owe Florida corporate income tax