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Florida Division of Corporations — contact, fees & licensing

Updated August 2026

Quick Answer

The Florida Division of Corporations, operating under the Florida Department of State, registers and maintains records for all business entity types in Florida. The division operates entirely from its Tallahassee office, with no satellite offices. Online filings through Sunbiz are available for most routine transactions.

Open Official Florida Division of Corporations Portal ↗

Office contact

Street / courier address
The Centre of Tallahassee, 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303
General mailing address
P.O. Box 6327, Tallahassee, FL 32314
Annual report check vouchers
P.O. Box 6198, Tallahassee, FL 32314 (separate P.O. box)
Main phone
(850) 245-6000
New filings (corps and LLCs)
(850) 245-6052
Annual reports and reinstatements
(850) 245-6059
Apostilles, certs, and copies
(850) 245-6053
Office hours
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Online filing portal
efile.sunbiz.org
Division homepage
dos.fl.gov/sunbiz

Entity formation and filing fees

Florida's fee structure separates required fees from optional add-ons. The totals below reflect the fees you must pay to form the entity — optional certified copy and Certificate of Status fees are listed separately. All amounts are from the Division's live fee page, confirmed August 2026. Verify current amounts at dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/forms/fees before filing.

LLC — Articles of Organization

Required fee
$125

LLC — Annual Report (with supplemental fee)

Required fee
$138.75

LLC — Annual Report (received after May 1 — late penalty)

Required fee
$538.75

LLC — Name Reservation

Required fee
$25

LLC — Certificate of Status (optional)

Required fee
$5

Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation

Required fee
$70

Profit Corporation — Annual Report

Required fee
$150

Profit Corporation — Annual Report (received after May 1 — late penalty)

Required fee
$550

Nonprofit Corporation — Annual Report

Required fee
$61.25

Corporation — Name Reservation

Required fee
$35

Corporation — Certificate of Status (optional)

Required fee
$8.75

Limited Partnership — formation (all required fees)

Required fee
$1,000

The $125 LLC Articles of Organization fee is a $100 filing fee plus a $25 registered agent designation fee; the $70 profit corporation Articles of Incorporation fee is a $35 filing fee plus a $35 registered agent designation fee.

Florida's annual report penalty is steep: a profit corporation that misses the May 1 deadline pays $550 instead of $150 — a $400 jump. LLCs face a similar structure with a roughly $400 late penalty. Annual reports cannot be waived for reinstatement; a reinstating entity must also pay all outstanding annual report fees.

UCC filing, notary, and apostille services

The Department of State handles UCC filings and apostilles, but not notary commissions:

  • UCC search and filing — run through the Florida Secured Transaction Registry (floridaucc.com), operated under contract with the Department of State.
  • Apostilles and authentications — $10 per document, or $20 per document when authenticating a copy already certified by a county Clerk of Court.
  • Notary public commissions — not handled here. Florida notaries are appointed by the Governor's Executive Office of Notaries ($25 application fee plus a $10 commission fee), not the Department of State.

Source: Florida Department of State (dos.fl.gov/sunbiz) and Florida Statutes Chapter 117.

Key Florida state licensing agencies

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)

What it covers
Contractors, cosmetology, real estate, hotels and restaurants, and many other professional licenses

Florida Department of Revenue (DOR)

What it covers
Sales tax registration, employer payroll tax accounts

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)

What it covers
Food permits, agricultural dealer registrations, pest control, motor fuel licenses
Website
fdacs.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to form an LLC in Florida?

$125 total to file the Articles of Organization — that's a $100 filing fee plus a mandatory $25 registered agent designation fee, both required to complete formation.

What happens if I miss Florida's May 1 annual report deadline?

The late penalty is steep — an LLC's annual report jumps from $138.75 to $538.75, and a for-profit corporation's jumps from $150 to $550, a roughly $400 increase either way.

How much does it cost to form a limited partnership in Florida?

$1,000 total for all required formation fees — substantially more than Florida's $125 LLC formation fee or $70 corporation incorporation fee.

Compare Other States

Entity search rules, fees, and offices are set state by state. These are the states closest to Florida — useful if you're comparing how a neighboring state runs the same process.

Helpful Guides

What Is a Registered Agent, and Who Can Be One?

Every LLC and corporation is required to name one — here's what the job actually involves and who's eligible.

Certificate of Good Standing: What It Is and How to Get One

A one-page proof that your LLC or corporation is current with the state — what it's for, what it costs, and how to request one.

How to Dissolve an LLC: The State Filing Process, Step by Step

Closing an LLC the right way means more than just walking away — here's the filing sequence every state expects.

LLC vs. Corporation: Which Structure Fits Your Business?

Both are formed with the same state office — the real differences show up in taxes, ownership, and how much paperwork you're signing up for.

Articles of Incorporation vs. Articles of Organization: What's the Difference?

Both documents create a legal business entity with the state — the difference comes down to which type of entity you're forming.

How Much Does It Cost to Start an LLC? Formation Fees by State

State filing fees for forming an LLC range from under $50 to $500 — see the base cost in your state and how it compares to forming a corporation.

LLC Annual Report Fees and Deadlines by State

Every state has its own rules for keeping an LLC in good standing — see your state's report frequency, fee, and due date at a glance.

Business License Search: What It Covers and How to Check

Registering an entity with the state isn't the same as holding a license to operate it — here's where licenses actually come from.

UCC Filing Search: How to Check for Liens on a Business

Uniform Commercial Code filings show which lenders have a claim on a company's assets — here's how to search them and what the results mean.