How to Register a Business in Florida: Sunbiz Foreign Qualification Guide (2026)
If your company was formed in another state and now has employees, an office or regular business in Florida, you register with the Florida Division of Corporations, known as Sunbiz. Corporations file an Application by Foreign Corporation for Authorization to Transact Business; LLCs file a foreign LLC Application for Authorization. Here is what it costs, what you need, and what comes after.
Florida at a glance
Item | Florida |
|---|---|
Filing | Application for Authorization to Transact Business (separate forms for corporations and LLCs) |
Where | Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) |
State fee | $70 for corporations, $125 for LLCs (filing fee plus registered agent designation) |
Typical processing | 2–3 weeks |
You'll need | An original certificate of existence from your home state, no more than 90 days old |
Registered agent | Required, with a Florida street address (no P.O. boxes) |
Ongoing filing | Annual report every year, due by May 1: $150 for corporations, $138.75 for LLCs |
Do you need to register in Florida?
You generally need to register if your company is "doing business" in Florida, for example if you:
Have an office, store or warehouse in Florida
Employ people who live and work in Florida
Regularly sell to, or provide services for, Florida customers
Activities that usually don't count on their own include holding a bank account in Florida, holding internal meetings there, and isolated one-off transactions. If you're unsure, check with your attorney or book a call with us.
Hiring a remote employee in Florida always means opening Florida payroll tax accounts, even when Secretary of State registration isn't required. See the payroll section below.
How to register, step by step
Get a certificate of existence from your home state. Florida requires the original, no more than 90 days old; a photocopy isn't accepted.
Choose a Florida registered agent. See the rules below.
File your application with Sunbiz. Corporations pay $70 ($35 filing fee plus $35 registered agent designation); LLCs pay $125 ($100 filing fee plus $25 registered agent designation). By mail, send it to the Division of Corporations, P.O. Box 6327, Tallahassee, FL 32314.
Save your approval and Florida document number. You'll need them for payroll and tax registrations.
Registered agent rules in Florida
Every business registered in Florida must keep a registered agent with a physical Florida street address; a P.O. box isn't accepted. The agent receives lawsuits and official notices for your company, so the address has to be staffed during business hours.
Using an employee as your agent is allowed, but it means legal papers go to one person's home, and they're lost if that person leaves. A commercial registered agent avoids that. Every AbstractOps plan includes registered agent service.
Annual reports: every year by May 1
Florida requires an annual report every year, starting the year after you register. Reports open January 1 and are due by May 1. The fee is $150 for corporations and $138.75 for LLCs.
Florida doesn't waive late fees: a report filed after May 1 costs an extra $400 for corporations and LLCs. If no report is filed by the third Friday in September, Florida administratively revokes an out-of-state company's authorization, and getting it back means a reinstatement filing plus every missed report fee.
Florida payroll accounts
If you have employees in Florida, you'll also need:
No state income tax withholding. Florida doesn't have a personal income tax, so there is no withholding account to open.
A reemployment tax account (Florida's name for unemployment insurance) with the Florida Department of Revenue.
Our Florida payroll tax registration guide walks through the details.
Florida registration FAQ
How much does it cost to register a foreign corporation or LLC in Florida?
$70 for a corporation or $125 for an LLC, plus the cost of your home state's certificate of existence.
How long does Florida take?
Typically 2–3 weeks.
When is the Florida annual report due?
Between January 1 and May 1 every year. After May 1 there is a $400 late fee for corporations and LLCs.
Does Florida require a certificate of good standing?
Yes. Florida asks for an original certificate of existence from your home state, no more than 90 days old.
Let us handle Florida for you
AbstractOps files your Florida registration, acts as your registered agent, opens your payroll accounts and tracks your annual filings, from $250 per state per year. Start a 7-day free trial or book a 15-minute call.
This guide is for general information and isn't tax or legal advice. Fees and rules change; confirm current requirements with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz).