Florida · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in Florida
Florida is cheap to start and unforgiving about one date: May 1.
See the stepsShort answer
File Articles of Incorporation for a Florida profit corporation with the Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) for a $35 filing fee, plus $35 for the registered agent designation. At checkout that is $70 for Florida plus $123.75 for our formation, $193.75 before card processing. Then file the $150 annual report by May 1 each year, starting the year after you form. Filing after May 1 adds a $400 late fee.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in Florida, step by step?
Florida's annual report is due by May 1, and the first one lands the year after you incorporate. One board member is enough, and the registered agent can be you if you live in the state.
Choose and check the name
A Florida corporate name must contain "corporation," "company," or "incorporated," or the abbreviation Corp., Inc., or Co. Search Sunbiz to confirm the name is available before you file. See the Florida name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File articles of incorporation
File the Articles of Incorporation (Florida Profit Corporation) with Florida. The fee at our checkout is $70. Details are below.
Adopt bylaws
Bylaws are the board's rules: how directors are elected, how meetings run and how officers are chosen. Every corporation we form includes them.
Name directors, officers and issue shares
A Florida board of directors must consist of one or more individuals, and your officers are whoever your bylaws or the board appoint. 4 Hold an organizational meeting, record it in minutes, and issue stock to the owners.
Get an EIN
The EIN is the corporation's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it free at irs.gov.
Register for state taxes
Register with Florida Department of Revenue: register to collect sales tax if you sell taxable items at retail. 7
File the annual report
Put the first deadline on your calendar before you file anything else. See the Florida annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in Florida?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $70 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $193.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $248.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $292 | At filing |
| Annual Report (each year) | $150 5 | between January 1 and May 1 each year; first one the year after you incorporate |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. State fees: $35 articles + $35 registered agent designation = $70.
Florida at a glance
| Question | Florida |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Articles of Incorporation (Florida Profit Corporation), $35 1 |
| Name rule | Must contain the word corporation, company or incorporated, or the abbreviation Corp., Inc. or Co. 2 |
| Registered agent | Registered agent and registered office in Florida; agent is a Florida-resident individual at the office address, or an entity authorized in Florida 3 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director; officers: as described in your bylaws or appointed by the board 4 |
| Annual report | Annual Report, $150, due between January 1 and May 1 each year; first one the year after you incorporate 5 |
| Corporate income tax | 5.5% flat after a $50,000 exemption 6 |
Do I need a registered agent in Florida?
Every Florida corporation must keep a registered office and a registered agent in the state, and an individual agent must live in Florida at the registered office address. 3 You can be your own agent if you have a street address in the state and are there in business hours, but the address goes on the public record. Ours, through our partner Registered Agents Inc, is $74.25 a year, or $178.20 with the formation. Florida registered agent rules.
What goes in the Florida articles of incorporation?
File the Articles of Incorporation with the Division of Corporations, online on Sunbiz or by mail. They name the corporation and its registered agent and office in Florida.
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a Florida corporation owe?
Florida has no separate initial report. Your first annual report is due between January 1 and May 1 of the year after you incorporate. If you sell taxable items, register with the Florida Department of Revenue to collect sales tax.
How do I start an S corp in Florida?
A corporation is a C corporation unless it elects otherwise. An S corp is a tax election, not another kind of entity. The order is plain: form the corporation, get the EIN, then file IRS Form 2553 within 2 months and 15 days after start of the tax year the election takes effect (or any time in the prior tax year) 9. Florida follows the federal S election: an S corporation that owes no federal tax is not required to file a Florida corporate income tax return. 8
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read Florida: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in Florida?
Shares, a board and officers. The usual choice when you plan to raise money from investors or issue stock options.
Fewer formalities and flexible ownership. Often the simpler choice for one owner or a small team.
Compare the two: How to start an LLC in Florida.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in Florida as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in Florida?
- Adopt the bylaws and hold the first board meeting; write minutes.
- Issue stock to the owners and keep a stock ledger.
- Get the EIN, open a business bank account and keep money separate.
Form your Florida corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($70), with bylaws included. Add the registered agent for $178.20 in all, or take the Day-One Bundle at $222.
Common questions
How much does it cost to incorporate in Florida?
The Division of Corporations charges $35 for the articles and $35 for the registered agent designation. The annual report is $150 a year.
When is the Florida corporation annual report due?
By May 1 each year, starting the year after you incorporate.
What happens if I miss the Florida annual report deadline?
You owe the $400 late fee. If you never file, the state administratively dissolves the corporation.
How many directors does a Florida corporation need?
One or more individuals.
Sources 9 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Florida charges a $35 filing fee for the articles of incorporation of a profit corporation, plus a separate $35 fee for the registered agent designation. dos.fl.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Florida corporate name must contain the word "corporation," "company," or "incorporated" or the abbreviation Corp., Inc., or Co. leg.state.fl.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Every Florida corporation must keep a registered office and a registered agent in the state, and an individual agent must live in Florida at the registered office address. leg.state.fl.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Florida board of directors must consist of one or more individuals, and your officers are whoever your bylaws or the board appoint. leg.state.fl.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Florida profit corporation pays $150 for its annual report, due by May 1, and reports filed after May 1 carry a $400 late fee. dos.fl.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Florida C corporation pays 5.5% of Florida net income after a $50,000 exemption. flsenate.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- If your business sells taxable items, you must register with the Florida Department of Revenue to collect sales tax. floridarevenue.com, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Florida follows the federal S election: an S corporation that owes no federal tax is not required to file a Florida corporate income tax return. floridarevenue.com, checked Nov 6, 2026
- IRS: Form 2553 instructions irs.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
Last verified Nov 7, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.