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Florida . 2026 filing guide

Florida Secretary of State filings, deadlines, and how to do them right.

Annual reports, Sunbiz business search, registered agent changes, reinstatement, dissolution, tax registration. Every Florida filing explained, plus the Florida business environment, regulatory bodies, and a year-round compliance calendar. Verified against the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations as of June 2026.

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Information verified against Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations on Jun 12, 2026
Agency
Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations
Branded as Sunbiz
Phone
850-245-6052
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm ET
Annual due
May 1
$400 late fee
Processing
24 hours to 3 days
Online filings
Florida business environment

Why founders choose Florida (and what to know first)

No state income tax on individuals or pass-through LLCs. Same-day annual report processing. Statewide DBA (no county-by-county). Florida population growth (5th in nation) makes it a natural service-area choice for nationwide founders.

Economy
fourth-largest US state economy (~$1.4T)
Registered entities
~3.4 million registered active entities (largest single-state Sunbiz database in the US)
New formations / year
~700,000 new entities formed annually (LLCs are 88% of new filings)
Key industries
Tourism + hospitality, real estate, healthcare, aerospace + defense, agriculture, financial services, professional services
Florida tax profile

Tax obligations at a glance

Tax type Where Florida stands
State income taxNone on individuals or pass-through LLCs
Corporate income tax5.5% on C-Corps with Florida-sourced income above $50,000
Sales tax6% state plus 0-2% county surtax
Franchise taxNone per se; annual report ($138.75 LLC / $150 Corp) is the maintenance equivalent

Tax obligations depend on entity type, where you operate, and where revenue is sourced. Consult a licensed CPA for entity-specific advice. File.Business connects you with vetted CPAs in Florida on request.

Beyond the SoS

Other Florida agencies your business will touch

The Secretary of State handles formation and corporate filings. These agencies handle the rest of your Florida compliance.

Florida Department of Revenue
850-488-6800

Sales tax permits, corporate income tax (Form F-1120), reemployment tax

Florida Department of Business + Professional Regulation (DBPR)
850-487-1395

Professional licenses: alcohol, real estate, construction, cosmetology, restaurants

Florida Department of Labor + Workforce (DEO)
850-245-7105

Reemployment assistance, workforce programs, employer reporting

Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
850-413-3100

Insurance company licensing, agent licensing, regulated insurance products

Florida Division of Workers Compensation
850-413-1601

Workers comp insurance proof, exemptions for officers and members

Sunshine State One Stop Business Portal

Cross-agency registration starting point (DOR, DBPR, Reemployment)

Florida compliance calendar

Year-round filings every Florida business should know

Recurring federal and state deadlines that affect Florida businesses. Our Compliance Calendar tracks these and 200+ others against your entity.

WhenWhat is due
Jan 1Annual report period opens for the current calendar year
Jan 31W-2 and 1099 deadlines (federal, applies to all state employers)
Mar 15Form 1065 and 1120-S deadline (pass-through entities)
Apr 15Form 1040 + Q1 federal estimated tax . Florida Corporate Income Tax (F-1120) due
May 1Florida annual report deadline (Sunbiz). $400 late fee after this date.
Jun 15Q2 federal estimated tax
Sep 15Q3 federal estimated tax. Extended 1120-S / 1065
4th Fri SepFlorida administratively dissolves entities still missing the annual report
Oct 15Extended 1040 / 1120 deadline
Dec 31Year-end. BOI updates due within 30 days of beneficial-owner changes throughout the year (FinCEN).
View full Florida compliance calendar →
How-to . LLC formation

How to form an LLC in Florida: step by step

Each step explained with what Florida requires and what trips most founders up. File.Business handles all of this for $0 service fee plus the $125 state fee.

1
Pick a name

Search Sunbiz to confirm the name is distinguishable. Must include LLC, L.L.C., or Limited Liability Company.

2
Choose a registered agent

Florida street address required (no P.O. Box). The agent must accept the appointment.

3
File Articles of Organization

Submit to the Division of Corporations with the $125 state fee. Online processing: 1 to 3 days.

4
Draft the operating agreement

Not filed with the state but legally important. Defines members, capital contributions, distributions, manager rules.

5
Apply for an EIN

IRS Form SS-4. Online if a member has an SSN; mail/fax if all members are non-US.

6
Open a business bank account

Florida banks typically require: Articles, EIN letter, operating agreement, and government ID for each beneficial owner.

7
Set up state tax accounts

Florida Department of Revenue: sales tax (if selling tangible goods or taxable services), reemployment tax (if you have employees).

Start your Florida LLC →

Ready to file your Florida paperwork the easy way?

Five minutes per filing. State fee passed through at cost. Audit trail and deadline tracking included.

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Disclosure. File.Business is a private business filing and compliance service. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations or any Secretary of State office. You may file directly with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. Information on this page is for general guidance only and is not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Filing fees and deadlines verified against the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations as of June 2026 and may change. For entity-specific guidance, consult a licensed Florida attorney or CPA.

File.Business is a private business filing and compliance service. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with any Secretary of State office. You may file directly with the appropriate state agency. SOC 2 Type II audited. 220,000+ businesses formed since 2017.