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Step By Step Guide

How to Start a corporation in Florida

Forming a corporation provides liability protection for any type of business, and should be among the first steps you take as a new business owner. Starting a corporation can help you protect your personal assets while adding legitimacy to your company. Follow our step by step guide or let us handle the paperwork on your behalf, ensuring your business is filed quickly and accurately.

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Why start and file a corporation in Florida?

The Sunshine State makes it a breeze to form an Corporation in Florida. Metro areas, such as the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, have ranked high for the amount of new business created in these cities. As the fourth largest economy in the nation, small businesses in Florida make up 99.8% of all businesses in the state and employ more than 3.3 million employees.

The benefits to starting a business in Florida keep adding up, since small businesses that form an Corporation in Florida do not have to pay income or state tax. Qualifying startups may also apply for a wide range of small business grants and programs for local Florida businesses.

Plus, pleasant weather year-round attracts tourists from all over the country - who may be your new customers! If all of this sounds like a win-win to you, here's how to form an Corporation in Florida.

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MyCorporation® can help you file all of the necessary documents to form your corporation in Florida.

File and submit the formation paperwork yourself

Our free guide provides you with all of the information you'll need to form your corporation in Florida. Bookmark this page as a reference so you can return easily as you complete each step of the process.

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How to Start a corporation in Florida

The first step will be to decide on a name for your business. Choose a name that is memorable and unique, easy to understand and pronounce, and accurately represents your business. You'll want to search your name choices on the web to quickly find out if they are already taken. It's also best to jot down one or two alternatives, in case the name you settle on is not available for registration in Florida.

There are a few rules that Florida Corporations must follow in order to register a name.

  • The name you choose must be unique and not "confusingly similar" to the name of any other Florida business. This is to prevent fraud or misrepresentation and is a common rule in all 50 states. You can find out whether a name is available in Florida by searching the Florida Division of Corporations database Opens in a new tab for conflicts.

    In a pinch, you can use MyCorporation's business name search service, where we will conduct a more thorough search on your behalf and report back our findings. Plus, MyCorporation includes a business name search for free when we complete your LLC filings on your behalf!

  • The name registered must be advertised in a newspaper Opens in a new tab located in the county of your principal place of business. This advertisement must be done at least once for a Florida LLC. You can learn more about business name entity rules and regulations in the Florida Name Registration guide provided by the Florida Department of State.

You can learn more about business name entity rules and regulations in the Florida Name Registration guide provided by the Florida Department of State Opens in a new tab.

Tip: A business name check is included with every one of our business formation packages. We check with the state to determine the availability of your business name automatically. You can also conduct a nationwide business name search here.

Most states require that you designate a registered agent for your business, and Florida is no exception. A registered agent acts as the state's means to communicate with a business and is responsible for receiving legal and official documents related to the business.

A registered agent can be anyone you wish, with one small caveat. The registered agent must have a physical address in Florida. In other words, a P.O. Box is not allowed as a registered agent address. This means a member of the Corporation can act as the registered agent if desired, or a third-party registered agent service like MyCorporation can be used.

Why designate a third party to act as my registered agent?

It should be noted that registered agent information is made publicly available. This can cause privacy concerns for business owners who do not wish to list their personal contact information on the Internet for everyone to see. It is also common for the registered agent to become a target of spam or robocalls since this private information is relatively easy to obtain.

Another issue that may arise is that in the case of a lawsuit, these documents would be hand delivered directly to the registered agent. In the case that you used your business location for this purpose, this could occur in front of your customers. This is why many business owners opt for a third-party registered agent service such as MyCorporation to act as a registered agent on behalf of their business.

Tip: Our Deluxe and Premium formation packages include a full year of registered agent services for your business. We also offer standalone registered agent services which you can add to your business later.

You will need to file Articles of Incorporation in Florida Opens in a new tab to order to form a Corporation. Articles of Incorporation may be filed online or by mail. They include basic information about the Florida Corporation including the company name, business address, mailing address, registered agent name and address, the Corporation's purpose, effective date of the Corporation, and signature of at least one individual acting as an authorized representative.

Please remember that there are new Florida fees for filing Articles of Incorporation. As of 2019, the filing fee is $35 and must be included with your application. Registered agent designation is $35, a certified copy is $8.75, and a certificate of status is $8.75. Altogether, the total for filing is $87.50.

What information should be included in the Articles of Incorporation?

As noted above, information required in the Articles of Incorporation covers basic information as it pertains to the Florida Corporation.

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Corporate bylaws are a detailed set of rules agreed upon and adopted by the board of directors after a corporation is formed, that specify the internal management structure of the corporation. They are typically drafted by the corporation's founder or directors. Corporate bylaws are not submitted to the state.

The state of Florida does not require a corporation to create bylaws upon approval of the Certificate of Incorporation, but it is strongly recommended. Bylaws allow a business to maintain consistency in the way it operates and communicate organizational rules to help avoid conflicts and disputes. They cover how directors are elected, meetings are organized, and officer roster and summary of duties. In addition to management, bylaws specify details about ownership rights, annual meetings, and the addition or removal of officers and directors.

If you are not sure how to create corporate bylaws, you can purchase MyCorporation's customized Minutes and Bylaws Package. This kit provides you with the internal documents required to fulfill your corporate formalities and properly operate your business after incorporating.

The board of directors of a corporation are normally elected by the shareholders. However, for a new business, the incorporator (the person who signed the Certificate of incorporation) will often designate the initial directors if there are no initial directors named in the certificate of incorporation. This is done by creating the "Statement of Incorporator" which will list the names and addresses of the initial directors of the business.

The statement of incorporator is then signed by all of the incorporators, which passes all elements of control over to the initial directors. This is filed not with the state, but in a corporate minute book of the incorporation. It is kept as part of the corporate record.

The first meeting of the board of directors is an important time in the life cycle of a corporation. During this meeting, the initial directors of the business will adopt the corporate bylaws, set the fiscal year, and appoint corporate officers. It is also common to authorize the issuance of shares of stock to the founders of your company, usually in exchange for assets.

This meeting, and all future meetings of the board of directors, must be recorded in corporate minutes. Minutes are documents that detail what was discussed and any decisions the business makes during meetings. They are stored with the corporate records.

Corporate minutes are required for all Florida corporations by law. Falling behind on keeping and maintain minutes can jeopardize the corporation's liability protection and overall tax advantages. It is important to maintain updated corporate minutes and keep copies of all the signed and approved minutes or actions by unanimous consent from any special or annual meetings of the corporation's shareholders and directors.

Stock is a representation of ownership in your corporation. When your shareholders purchase stock, they are buying a small piece of your business. Although it's not legally required, it is common that most corporations will issue paper stock certificates to their shareholders.

In a private company (not publicly traded on the stock market), you can set the value to each stock however you see fit in your corporate bylaws. For example, one share could be worth $10 or $10,000, either would be completely acceptable. If you have additional questions, you may contact the Florida Department of State Opens in a new tab to learn more.

Tip: MyCorporation can help you issue stock certificates for your business, allowing you to raise money by way of outside investment.

Nearly all industries require a license from the State of Florida. All businesses are required to file for a general business license or permit. If you plan on operating your business in multiple cities, you will need to apply for a business license in each location. In addition to the general business license, some additional permits may be required, which may need to be filed with the county or the state.

Two licensing agencies for skilled trades for Florida LLCs to know about include the Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) Opens in a new tab and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) Opens in a new tab.

You can learn more about the specific licenses applicable to your business by checking with the city offices where you will conduct business, or by using MyCorporation's business license compliance package. Our skilled professionals will do the work for you. We identify all of the licenses required by your business and provide you with the information you need in order to file.

An EIN (also referred to as a Federal Tax ID) is a nine-digit number that is issued by the IRS and used to uniquely identify your business for tax purposes. Think of it as a Social Security Number (SSN) for your business, except an EIN is less sensitive. It is important to wait until the LLC has been approved by the state before applying for an EIN. For that reason, filing for an EIN is one of the last things to do when you are setting up a business.

  • Open business checking, savings, or investment accounts
  • File taxes for the business
  • Complete payroll for employees if applicable
  • Obtain lines of credit and credit cards, as well as "build credit" for your business
  • Apply for applicable business licenses when required.

You will only need a few pieces of information to file including your mailing address and legal business name. You can apply online Opens in a new tab with the IRS by downloading IRS Form SS-4 (PDF)(116 KB)Opens in a new tab, or work alongside a third party organization like MyCorporation to complete an EIN application.

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Florida corporation Frequently Asked Questions

In Florida, a Professional Corporation (PC) is formed in order to provide professional services within a single profession. Generally, this may include the following professions:

  • Accounting
  • Acupuncture
  • Architecture
  • Chiropractic
  • Clinical social work
  • Dentistry
  • Law
  • Marriage, family, and child counseling
  • Medicine
  • Speech-language pathology and audiology
  • Nursing
  • Optometry
  • Osteopathy
  • Pharmacy
  • Physical therapy
  • Physician assistants
  • Podiatry
  • Psychology
  • Shorthand court reporters

A professional corporation provides the same benefits of a standard Corporation, with the additional formation requirement of proving the business has an effective certificate of registration issued by the governmental agency regulating their profession. Professional corporations are also governed by the agency responsible for overseeing the profession they engage in, and may have rules or limitations on the choice of name or ownership requirements.

According to the Florida Department of State, Corporation filing documents are processed in the order received when filed online and by mail. Check in on the document processing dates Opens in a new tab by document and entity type on the Florida Department of State's website for updated processing dates made online and through the mail.

In order to keep your corporation in good standing, there are certain reoccurring requirements that must be met.

  • All corporations must file an Annual Statement with the Department of State each year.
  • Profitable Florida corporations must submit and pay required annual tax returns, and pay out estimated corporation taxes.
  • Corporations must hold an annual meeting of the directors logged with corporate minutes.
  • Corporations must hold an annual meeting of the shareholders.

In order to form a corporation in Florida, you will be required to pay various fees for services. The breakdown of the required fees is as follows:

  • Filing Fee - $35
  • Registered Agent Designation - $35
  • Certified Copy - $8.75
  • Certificate of Status - $8.75

In total, expect to set aside at least $87.60 to form a Corporation in Florida.

Businesses organized in other states can foreign qualify to conduct business in Florida. Follow the instructions in the Florida Department of State's application to request for a foreign Corporation to transact business in Florida. Check in with the Florida Department of State for the correct filing fee with your application.

To file for a corporation in Florida, you must file some documents with the Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations. These documents are the Articles of Incorporation. They have the corporation's name, what it does, who will be responsible for it, and how many shares it will have.

You will also need to pay a fee when you submit these documents to be processed. Also, ensure all the information you provide in the documents follows the rules of Florida's state laws. If you don’t fill those out properly, there will be a delay in the filing process.

MyCorporation is an excellent choice for individuals and businesses looking to form a corporation in Florida. They are a reputable and experienced provider of corporation filing services, offering efficient and affordable solutions to ensure compliance with Florida state laws.

Using MyCorporation's services, you can rest assured that your filing will be handled by professionals with in-depth knowledge of Florida's regulations and requirements. Additionally,

MyCorporation offers a range of other services, such as trademark searches and applications, copyright registrations, and registered agent services, to help you protect and maintain the legitimacy of your Florida-based business.

You must meet specific requirements to file a corporation in Florida. First, think of a unique name for your corporation. Florida requires the word "corporation," "incorporated," or "company," or the abbreviation "Corp.," "Inc.," or "Co." for the name to be considered.

Next, file the Articles of Incorporation with the Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations and the required fee.

You will also need a registered agent with a physical address in Florida who can receive legal documents on behalf of the corporation. A P.O. Box will not work for this address.

MyCorporation makes it easy to file for a corporation. First, they will help you choose a unique name for your corporation that complies with Florida state laws.

Next, they will prepare and file the Articles of Incorporation with the Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations on your behalf, ensuring that all necessary information is included and accurate.

They also assist with obtaining a registered agent with a physical address in Florida and any necessary permits and licenses.

MyCorporation's professionals provide ongoing support and guidance to ensure everything is done correctly and on time.

Helpful Florida Resources

See Our How To Startup Guides for Florida

Are you looking for another entity type? We offer several other guides to help you start your business in the state of Florida.

If you experience any difficulty in accessing our content, please contact us at 877.692.6772 or email us at accessibility@mycorporation.com.

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