As of November 2026, forming a Florida LLC costs $125 at the state: $100 for the Articles of Organization plus $25 to designate a registered agent, according to the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz). The recurring cost is the annual report, which the Division shows at $138.75 for an LLC, with a $400 late fee if you file after May 1. I run Ecommerce Paradise, and this guide is the Florida-only spoke under my 20-state fee table, so it spends its words on what that table cannot hold: the annual report calendar, what happens when it is missed, reinstatement math, registered agent rules, and what formation services show for Florida today.
Disclosure: some links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and deadlines change, so check the official Florida pages linked below before you file or pay anything.
Florida LLC Cost at a Glance (November 2026)
Every state figure below comes from a Florida Department of State or Department of Revenue page I loaded in November 2026. Where a page did not show a number, the table says so instead of guessing.
| Item | Amount shown | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | $100.00 | Required |
| Registered agent designation | $25.00 | Required with the Articles |
| Total required to form | $125.00 | $100 + $25 |
| Certified copy | $30.00 | Optional |
| Certificate of status | $5.00 | Optional |
| Total with both optional items | $160.00 | The figure the filing page prints |
| Name reservation | $25.00 | Optional |
| Change of registered agent | $25.00 | Only if you switch |
| Any other amendment | $25.00 | Only if you amend |
| Annual report (LLC) | $138.75 | Filed January 1 through May 1 |
| Late fee after May 1 | $400.00 | Added to the report fee |
| Reinstatement | $100.00 plus annual report fee for each year | Only after administrative dissolution |
| Expedited filing | Not shown | The fee and instruction pages I loaded did not list it |
If you file yourself and add nothing else, the state side is $125 once, then $138.75 a year. That makes Florida cheap to open and a bit more expensive to keep than a state with no annual charge, and the gap shows up clearly in the comparison later in this guide. For how Florida stacks up against 19 other states on one page, see my LLC fees by state table.
Filing the Articles: $100 Plus $25
The document that creates a Florida LLC is the Articles of Organization, filed with the Division of Corporations. The Division’s Florida LLC filing page shows $100 for the Articles and $25 for the registered agent designation. The instructions page shows the same two fees. The “$125 filing fee” you see elsewhere is those two lines added together, which is why I list them separately above.
A few rules from the instructions page affect cost and planning:
- Name: it must be distinguishable from other names on the Department of State’s records and include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.” (professional LLCs use their own designations). The page tells you to run a preliminary name search first and not to treat the name as approved until you get a filing acknowledgment.
- Start date: the LLC’s existence generally begins on the date the Division receives and files the Articles, unless you specify an acceptable alternate effective date. That date can be up to five business days before receipt or up to 90 days after.
- First annual report: due January 1 through May 1 of the year after filing, which matters for budgeting because the first report fee can arrive within months of formation.
The fee page and the instructions page I loaded did not list an expedite option or its fee, and they did not state a processing time. If speed matters, check the Division directly rather than relying on a number from a third-party site.
Registered Agent: Rules and Costs
Florida makes you name a registered agent, and the instructions page lists the requirements. The agent accepts service of process for the company and must have a physical street address in Florida, and a P.O. Box does not count. An entity with an active Florida filing or registration can serve, but an entity cannot be its own agent, and an individual or a principal of the business can serve instead. The agent must sign to confirm acceptance of the role, and for online filings the agent types a name as the signature.
The state side of this is the $25 designation fee, already included in the $125. If you change agents later, the fee schedule shows $25 for a change of registered agent. Beyond that, the question is whether you serve yourself or pay a commercial agent. Northwest Registered Agent’s page shows $125 per year, and ZenBusiness’s pricing page lists registered agent service at $199 per year. Bizee and LegalZoom pages I loaded did not show a renewal price after the first year, which I cover in the comparison below.
The Annual Report: $138.75 and the Calendar
This is the part that separates Florida from a “pay once” state. The Division’s annual report page shows $138.75 for a Limited Liability Company. The reporting window runs from January 1 through May 1, and the report is not a financial statement: it confirms or updates things like manager or member names and addresses, the registered agent, the principal and mailing addresses, and the federal employer identification number.
Deadlines and the late fee
On the 2026 version of that page, the cutoff to avoid the late fee was 11:59 PM EST on Friday, May 1, 2026, with a $400 late fee for LLCs that file afterward. For payments by check the voucher and payment must be postmarked by May 1. I only saw the 2026 dates, so check the page for the exact cutoff in the year you file, because May 1 can land on a weekend.
What happens if you skip it entirely
Missing May 1 means a $400 late fee, not automatic dissolution. The same page says annual reports are due by the third Friday in September to avoid administrative dissolution, and an LLC that has not filed is administratively dissolved or revoked at the close of business on the fourth Friday of September. For 2026, the page gave September 18 as the last day to pay by check and 5:00 PM EST on September 25 as the last day to pay by credit card. A dissolved entity can be reinstated by submitting a reinstatement application and paying the reinstatement fee plus all annual report fees due.
Here is the arithmetic with numbers from those pages, labeled as examples. The Division’s LLC fee schedule also lists an annual report received after May 1 at $538.75, which matches the second row, and lists reinstatement as $100 plus $138.75 for each report year:
| Situation | Arithmetic | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Report filed on time | $138.75 | $138.75 |
| Report filed after May 1 but before dissolution | $138.75 + $400 | $538.75 |
| Dissolved, reinstated after two missed years (reports only, late fees not included) | $100 + 2 x $138.75 | $377.50 |
The third row leaves out any late fees because the pages I loaded did not say whether the $400 applies to reports filed as part of a reinstatement. Treat it as a floor, and confirm the total with the Division before paying.
Does Florida Have a State Income Tax?
The Florida Department of Revenue’s publication Tax Information for New Residents (form GT-800025, revised August 2025) states: “Florida does not impose personal income tax, inheritance tax, gift taxes, or tax on intangible personal property.” That sentence is about individuals and does not mean an LLC has no Florida tax. The Department’s taxes and fees page lists the taxes it administers, including corporate income tax, sales and use tax, and reemployment (unemployment) tax. The practical read for an LLC owner is that there is no Florida personal income tax return to file for pass-through store profits, while federal taxes, sales tax and any corporate income tax that applies to your entity type are separate.
I am not a tax professional. How your LLC is taxed federally, whether sales tax applies to your products and whether corporate income tax reaches your entity depend on facts I cannot see. Check with a CPA or the Florida Department of Revenue before you rely on “no state income tax.”
What Formation Services Show for a Florida LLC Today
A formation service files the Articles for you, so you pay Florida’s $125 plus the service’s own fee. I loaded each service’s official pages in November 2026. The package prices below are national prices from those pages, and where a page did not show a Florida fee or an agent renewal price, the table says “not shown.”
| Service | Package prices shown | Florida state fee shown on the page | Registered agent after year one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Registered Agent | $39 formation service plus state fees | $125 for the Articles of Organization | Not shown on the Florida page; the agent page shows $125 per year |
| Bizee | Basic $0, Standard $199, Premium $299, each plus state fee | Not shown | Not shown (first year free with any package) |
| ZenBusiness | Starter $0, Pro $199, Premium $299, each plus state fees | Not shown (links to a fee checker) | $199 per year listed separately |
| LegalZoom | Basic $0, Managed Service $249, Expert Service $299, each plus state filing fees | Not shown | Not shown |
These are the vendor pages I used:
- Northwest Registered Agent, Florida LLC page
- Northwest Registered Agent, registered agent page
- Bizee pricing page
- ZenBusiness formation plans page
- ZenBusiness pricing page (registered agent add-on)
- LegalZoom LLC overview page
Northwest’s Florida page says the $39 service includes one year of registered agent service, same-day document scans, a Florida business address and Northwest signing as the organizer. It also lists a Renewal Filings Service at $100 plus the state fee for the annual report, and it repeats the $138.75 state fee and the $400 late fine. Bizee says every package includes one free year of registered agent service. ZenBusiness lists Pro and Premium as renewing at $199 and $299 a year, and LegalZoom shows Managed Service renewing at $49 a month and Expert Service at $99 a month unless canceled. Package contents can change at checkout, so treat all of this as a snapshot as of November 2026. If you are weighing a code, my ZenBusiness promo code post covers what is verified and what a formation really costs.
Worked Cost Scenarios (Examples Only)
All scenarios use numbers from the pages above and state their assumptions. They are examples, not a recommendation, and a real order can differ.
| Year-one scenario | Arithmetic | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| A. File it yourself, you are the agent | $100 + $25 | $125 |
| B. File yourself with the optional certified copy and certificate of status | $100 + $25 + $30 + $5 | $160 |
| C. File yourself, reserve the name first | $25 + $100 + $25 | $150 |
| D. Northwest formation (agent year one included) | $39 + $125 | $164 |
| E. Bizee Basic (agent year one included) | $0 + $125 | $125 |
| F. Bizee Standard | $199 + $125 | $324 |
| G. ZenBusiness Starter plus its listed agent service | $0 + $125 + $199 | $324 |
| H. LegalZoom Managed Service | $249 + $125 | $374 |
Scenario G assumes you buy the $199 agent service on top of the free Starter plan, because the ZenBusiness page lists it as a separate item. Scenario E leaves out year-two agent costs, because the Bizee pages I loaded did not price an agent after the free year.
Florida’s recurring charge makes a multi-year view more honest than a first-year number. The table below covers formation plus three annual reports, and assumes you file each report on time, with no expedite, name reservation or amendments.
| Path | Arithmetic | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Self-filing, you are the agent | $125 + 3 x $138.75 | $541.25 |
| Northwest formation, you file the reports, Northwest agent at $125 in years two and three | $39 + $125 + 3 x $138.75 + 2 x $125 | $830.25 |
| Same, plus Northwest’s $100 Renewal Filings Service on all three reports | $830.25 + 3 x $100 | $1,130.25 |
| Free ZenBusiness plan, its $199 agent every year, you file the reports | $125 + 3 x $199 + 3 x $138.75 | $1,138.25 |
The spread, from $541.25 to $1,138.25, comes almost entirely from agent and filing-service choices, not from the state. The state charges the same $125 and the same $138.75 whoever clicks submit. That is the most useful thing to know before you buy a package.
Florida vs Texas: Where the Recurring Cost Differs
Many store owners choose between Florida and Texas, so here is a side-by-side using only the figures verified in this guide and in my Texas LLC cost breakdown.
| Item | Florida | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| State fee to form | $125 ($100 + $25) | $300 |
| Recurring state charge for a small LLC | $138.75 annual report | No tax due at or below $2,650,000 revenue; Public Information Report still required |
| Formation plus three years, state fees only | $125 + 3 x $138.75 = $541.25 | $300 |
| Late filing | $400 late fee after May 1 | No dollar penalty shown on the pages I loaded; failing to file a required report can lead to forfeiture of the right to transact business |
Florida is cheaper on day one and Texas is cheaper over time, if your store stays under the Texas threshold. This is only a state-fee comparison. Where you live, where you do business, sales tax and federal tax treatment matter more than a $100 swing, and none of that is a recommendation. My broader guide to what it costs to form an LLC covers the decision outside these two states.
Costs Outside the State Fee
The state fee, the agent and the annual report are the parts you can verify on a government page. These other costs depend on your choices, and I did not price them from official pages:
- Operating agreement: not filed with the state; cost depends on a template or a lawyer.
- Business bank account and payment processing: these usually need your formation paperwork, and the fees vary by provider. Payment costs are part of your store’s margin, so model them early.
- Business address or mailbox: if you want your home address off public records, a mailbox is an extra cost I compared in my post on the best virtual mailbox for a Florida LLC.
- Sales tax registration: a separate process through the Florida Department of Revenue that I did not research or price here.
If you are still deciding what to sell, start with my guide to high-ticket dropshipping.
My list of high-ticket niches helps you choose a category.
Once you have a niche, the step-by-step supplier guide covers sourcing, which is where a registered entity often comes up. For the bigger picture of entity, bank account and payments, read my business formation guide for high-ticket dropshipping.
My Take: Where the Money Goes
This is opinion, not advice. For a small Florida store the $125 is the smallest decision. The calendar is the bigger one: the annual report arrives every year, costs $138.75, and turns into $538.75 if you miss May 1. Put the January 1 to May 1 window on your calendar the day the LLC is approved, and decide up front whether you will pay anyone to file it. If you are comfortable being your own agent, the state costs are the floor shown in the first scenario; if you want privacy and mail handling, price a commercial agent for all three years, not just the first.
One more note on trust. Some older formation guides, including pages on my own site, describe the consequence of missing the May 1 deadline differently from the Florida pages I loaded this month. The Division’s annual report page says May 1 triggers the $400 late fee and that dissolution follows in September for LLCs that never file, so use the official page for the dates that apply to you.
If you would rather have help deciding on structure, a niche and a first supplier, that is what my private coaching is for.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Florida?
As of November 2026 the Florida Division of Corporations shows $100 for the Articles of Organization plus $25 for the registered agent designation, so $125 required. A certified copy ($30) and certificate of status ($5) are optional and bring the printed total to $160. Formation services add their own fee.
How much is the Florida LLC annual report?
The Division’s annual report page shows $138.75 for an LLC. The filing window runs January 1 through May 1, and a $400 late fee applies if you file after May 1. Check the page for the exact cutoff in the year you file, because I only saw the 2026 dates.
What happens if I miss the Florida annual report deadline?
Filing after May 1 adds a $400 late fee. If the report is never filed, the Division’s page says the LLC is administratively dissolved or revoked on the fourth Friday of September, and reinstatement costs $100 plus the annual report fee for each year owed. Confirm the total with the Division.
Does Florida have a state income tax?
The Florida Department of Revenue’s Tax Information for New Residents publication says Florida does not impose personal income tax. That describes individuals: the Department’s list of taxes and fees still includes corporate income tax, sales and use tax and reemployment tax, so an LLC can have other Florida tax duties. Confirm with a CPA or the Department. This is not legal or tax advice.
Do I need a registered agent for a Florida LLC?
Yes. The agent must have a physical street address in Florida (no P.O. Box), must sign to accept the role, and an LLC cannot be its own agent. The state designation fee is $25, and commercial agents showed $125 and $199 per year on the pages I loaded.
Related Articles
If you are building a store on top of a Florida entity, these posts cover the next decisions.
- How to Form an LLC in Florida: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide
- Florida LLC vs Wyoming LLC: Privacy and Tax Comparison for 2026
- Best Virtual Mailbox for Florida LLC in 2026
- How Long Does It Take to Get an LLC Before You Launch Your Store?
- Best Virtual Business Address for an LLC in 2026
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and world traveler from Seattle, Washington, and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
He maintains homes in Seattle and Bali, spends most of the year overseas, and usually returns to Seattle for about a month each summer.
