How to Form an LLC in Florida: Steps & Fees
A flat $99 buys one year of registered agent service in Florida — the registered office, same-day scanning of court papers, and reminders before state deadlines.
Forming a Florida LLC really comes down to one filing: Articles of Organization delivered to the Florida Division of Corporations along with $125. Everything else either sets up that moment or follows from it. Below you'll find the exact form, the official fee, each step in order, and where our service fits in.
Get Your Florida LLC — $199
Our team assembles the Articles of Organization and lodges them with the Division of Corporations for $199, then watches the filing through to approval.
What A Florida LLC Is (and Why People Form One)
An LLC is the modern default entity for small business owners — liability protection, flexible management, simple taxes. Small businesses across Florida default to the LLC structure for liability protection that doesn't come with corporate-level formality.
Florida LLC Filing Fee: $125
The official Florida filing fee is $125 total: $100 for the Articles of Organization plus $25 for the registered agent designation, per the Division of Corporations LLC fee schedule. Here's the money picture at a glance:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (Florida Division of Corporations) | $125 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every Florida LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report fee | $138.75/year |
Our piece is $199 for the filing. The $125 goes straight to the state. The agent runs $99 a year, separately.
Worth knowing up front: the annual report that follows formation is $138.75 every year, due May 1 with a filing window that opens January 1, and the state adds a $400 late fee the day after the deadline. On the bright side, Florida has no personal state income tax.
Articles of Organization: Form CR2E047
Florida's formation document has an official form name and number: the Articles of Organization for Florida Limited Liability Company, form CR2E047. The authority behind it is Fla. Stat. § 605.0201, which lets one or more authorized representatives create the company by "signing and delivering articles of organization to the department for filing."
You can file two ways: e-file through Sunbiz, the official state portal, or print the CR2E047 PDF and mail it to the Division of Corporations. Either way, the $125 fee rides along with the filing.
How to Form a Florida LLC: The Official Steps
- Pick a compliant name. Include an LLC designator and make sure the name doesn't collide with an entity already in the state's records. A quick search of the Sunbiz database before you file saves a rejection later. Words implying banking, insurance, or government affiliation are restricted, so skip those unless you've cleared the relevant authority.
- Line up a Florida registered agent. Under Fla. Stat. § 605.0113 the agent needs a real Florida street address (no PO boxes) and has to be around during business hours. The agent's name and address go into the public entity database for anyone to see. For $99 a year we take the role, and our address fills the public-record slot instead of yours.
- File the Articles of Organization (form CR2E047) with the Division of Corporations. This is the step that creates the company. The filing lists your entity name, principal address, the agent's name and Florida street address, whether the company is member-managed or manager-managed, and the organizer's signature. Submit online through Sunbiz or by mail with the PDF, along with the $125 fee.
- Write an operating agreement. The state doesn't collect one, but you want it anyway. It nails down ownership stakes, distributions, management rights, and what happens when a member leaves. Skip it and Florida's statutory defaults run the company, and those defaults won't always match your intentions.
- Get the LLC's EIN. The IRS issues Employer Identification Numbers at no charge on its website, and banks won't open a business account without one. There's no reason to pay a third party for this step.
- Stay compliant year after year. Keep a registered agent on file at all times, file the $138.75 annual report between January 1 and May 1, keep business money separate from personal money, and stay current on taxes. Fall behind and the Division of Corporations can administratively dissolve the LLC, taking the liability protection with it until you reinstate.
Outsourcing this step? $199 one-time covers our Florida filing service.
The Registered Agent Requirement
Every Florida LLC carries the agent obligation continuously, from formation until dissolution. What the role demands:
- A physical Florida location with a street address (a PO box alone won't qualify)
- Availability all through normal business hours to receive court papers and lawsuits
- Prompt hand-off of legal documents and state notices so deadlines aren't missed
An owner can hold the role individually, but that puts a home or office address into the publicly searchable record from day one. Our service is $99 per year: we take the public-facing role and your address stays off the record.
FAQs
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Florida?
The official state filing fee is $125, paid to the Division of Corporations. After formation, the annual report runs $138.75 each year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Florida?
Processing depends on the Division of Corporations' current queue. Online Sunbiz filings are generally confirmed sooner than mailed paper forms.
Does Florida require an annual report?
Yes, every year. It's due by May 1 and the fee is $138.75, with a $400 penalty for filing late.
Do I need a registered agent for my Florida LLC?
Yes. Fla. Stat. § 605.0113 requires an agent with a Florida street address on file without any gap, for as long as the LLC exists.
Can I form an LLC in Florida if I live in another state?
Yes. Florida doesn't require owners to live in the state. The in-state piece is the registered agent, and we cover that for $99 per year.
File Your Florida LLC Today
Filing yourself works fine: submit the Articles of Organization through Sunbiz or mail form CR2E047, pay the state $125, and keep a registered agent on file.
If you'd rather hand it off, we prepare and file the Articles for $199. Either way, our registered agent service gets you a Florida address, same-day scanning of court papers, and deadline reminders for $99 a year.
Just the agent, no formation? The registered agent product is $99 per year individually.
Curious about other parts of Florida LLC formation or how our service handles the agent role? See our FAQ or contact us throughout the business day.
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One yearly price covers everything we provide as your agent — office address, scans, deadline alerts.
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