When you form your LLC in Florida, you’ll have to pay certain costs to officially register your business with the state.

In addition to formation and ongoing costs, there will be business expenses like using a registered agent service, building a website, getting business insurance, and so on. So, how much does an LLC cost in Florida?

In this guide, we break down the costs associated with forming your LLC, from the Florida LLC filing fee to LLC upkeep prices and other business expenses.

Cost of Forming an LLC in Florida

When forming your LLC, there are a few different costs that you may incur. These include the filing fee, LLC formation service cost, operating agreement draft, and registered agent costs.

Florida LLC Filing Fee

Florida requires that all new LLCs file an Articles of Organization with the Florida Department of State – Division of Corporations. The filing fee for the Articles of Organization is $125. The filing fee is often referred to as the “state fee.”

If you decide to have an LLC formation service file the paperwork for you, you will pay the $125 filing fee on top of their service fee. The fee for this service starts at $29 and increases for each additional service you purchase.

For more details on the formation process, check out our Florida LLC Formation guide.

Florida Registered Agent and Registered Office

Every LLC in the State of Florida is required to assign a registered agent. The registered agent you appoint will accept mail on behalf of the LLC, including legal documents, tax forms, and written communication from the government. Registered agents can be an individual or business entity. You can elect to hire a registered agent service, which costs $130 or more annually.

Your registered agent can be:

• A registered agent service (most common)
• Yourself (not recommended)
• Another member of the LLC
• A business attorney

Florida LLC Operating Agreement

An operating agreement is a legal document that outlines the profit distribution and ownership details of the business. Each member or manager’s position and responsibilities are outlined in this document, as are the LLC’s operating procedures. This transparency helps avoid any confusion and settle potential conflicts as they arise.

While recommended, Florida does not require LLCs to file their operating agreements with the Florida Division of Corporations. The only potential costs you face are in the drafting of the document. If you are a single-member LLC or simple multi-member LLC, you can draft the document yourself.

If you decide to draft your LLC’s operating agreement yourself, consider using a free operating agreement template or document builder. That brings your total cost to $0.

Optional Florida LLC Formation Costs

Along with the fees associated with forming an LLC, there are several optional LLC formation costs that you may encounter.

• Reserve a Name for Your LLC – Before registering your Florida LLC’s business name, you must first confirm that the name is unique and available by doing a business entity name search. Requests should be submitted to the Florida Department of State, along with a reservation fee of $25.
• Doing Business As (DBA) Name – If you plan to operate your business under a different name than your LLC, you will need to file a DBA. In Florida, DBAs are referred to as “fictitious names.” After publishing a notice of intent, you must register your fictitious name with the Florida Secretary of State. The registration fee is $50.
• Expedited Florida LLC Filing – Florida offers expedited filing of your Articles of Organization for an additional $100 per filing.
• Certified Document Copies – A certified copy of your LLC’s business documents is a great way to confirm your information is correct. The fee for requesting a certified copy of record is $30.
• Certificate of Status – A Certificate of Status verifies that your LLC is registered and legally permitted to do business in Florida. This form is often required by lenders and banks. The fee for requesting a certificate of status is $5.

Florida LLC Cost and Fees Over Time

There are a few things you need to address to keep your LLC in good standing with the state year after year. Each of these comes with costs and fees.

Annual LLC Fee Florida

Each year, your Florida LLC must file an annual report with the Department of State. This report helps the state maintain accurate records of each Florida business.

The government uses this information to track tax payments. Interested parties can access these public records should they need to contact you for any reason. The filing fee for this annual report is $138.75.

Annual reports are due by May 1 each year.

Registered Agent Fee

If you use a professional registered agent service, you will pay their fee annually. Pricing will depend on the service provider that you use, but usually costs around $130/year. Using a registered agent service will save you time and the hassle of handling important legal documents and filings for the long term.

If you act as your own registered agent there are no maintenance fees. However, for privacy and compliance purposes, we don’t recommend being your own registered agent.

General Costs of Running a Business

Operating a business will obviously come with more than just LLC costs. These are a few of the expenses that you may run into.

Business Bank Account

An LLC separates your personal assets from your business assets. This separation is called the corporate veil. That corporate veil ensures that if your business is sued or incurs debts, your personal assets will be protected from any liabilities.

Commingling (mixing) your personal bank account with your business can pierce your LLC’s corporate veil, which means you are no longer protected by the separated entity of your LLC.

Using a separate bank account to accept payments and pay business expenses is the only way to prevent commingling funds and piercing the corporate veil.

Business Permits and Licenses

Depending on the type of business you operate, your business may need the proper permits and licenses to legally operate in Florida.

Alongside the permits required, your business may require industry-specific licenses to operate legally. Examples include licenses like the Florida real estate license, Florida insurance license, Florida adjuster license, and so on.

Business Website

Every business needs a website. There’s no better way to get in front of your customers, build your brand, and grow your business.

Fortunately, the cost and difficulty of creating a business website have come down over the years. Websites are now simple to build and cheap to keep up.

Business Insurance

Having the proper insurance coverage can potentially save your entire business if there is a loss, accident, or lawsuit.

A few of the most common business insurance policies include:

• General liability insurance – Protects against claims of personal injury, physical injury, property damage, and more. This is the most common of all business insurance policies. Learn more about general liability insurance.
• Professional Liability Insurance – Protects against claims of inaccurate or negligent work. It’s most common in the “professional” space where businesses offer services or advice to other businesses or consumers. Learn more about professional liability insurance.
• Commercial Workers’ Compensation Insurance – This type of insurance protects your employees from on-the-job injuries or illnesses. This coverage is required if you have one or more employees. Learn more about Workers’ Compensation insurance.

The cost of business insurance varies widely based on business type, size, location, and other factors. Getting a quote is the only way to understand the actual cost of insurance for your LLC.