State hub · Florida
Florida LLC true cost (2026)
Florida state side: $125 formation filing, $138.75 for Annual Report (with supplemental fee) in the 3-year model, ~$541.25 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #40 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Florida state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz). Filings go through dos.fl.gov/sunbiz.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $125 | Articles of Organization — $100 filing fee + $25 registered agent designation fee (required) = $125 total for new Florida LLC per Division of Corporations fee schedule |
| Annual Report (with supplemental fee) | $138.75 | Mandatory annual report via Sunbiz. No state income tax / no separate franchise tax on LLC profits. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $541.25 | Articles $125 + Annual Report $138.75×3 |
When Florida actually bills you
Florida's recurring filing is due By May 1 each year (calendar year after formation for first report); late after May 1 is $538.75 — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Florida charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $125 | $125 |
| Year 1 cycle | Annual Report (with supplemental fee) | $138.75 | $263.75 |
| Year 2 cycle | Annual Report (with supplemental fee) | $138.75 | $402.5 |
| Year 3 cycle | Annual Report (with supplemental fee) | $138.75 | $541.25 |
Provider + Florida state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Florida state subtotal of $541.25.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $830.25 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $1,038.25 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $839.25 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $1,288.25 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Florida ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Florida sits at #40 — the 40th cheapest three-year state charter — at $541.25 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $506.25 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $261.25 above the $280 median, and $1,968.75 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Florida lands in the pricier half of the table.
- Just cheaper: Arkansas ($495), Maine ($430).
- Just pricier: Alaska ($600), Kentucky ($610).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Florida)
- Florida registered agent with physical Florida address required; $25 designation fee included in formation total.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Florida state fees is $541.25, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Florida, is about 35% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Missing May 1 annual report triggers automatic $400 late fee ($538.75 total)
- Administrative dissolution risk after prolonged non-filing; reinstatement = $100 + each missed annual report
- Scam/third-party annual-report solicitations common — file only at Sunbiz
Who Florida is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Florida-based or Florida-market businesses wanting no state income tax and straightforward Sunbiz filing
Often a poor fit when…
- Owners who will miss annual deadlines (late fee is steep relative to base fee)
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Florida LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Florida?
$125 to Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) for the formation filing. Articles of Organization — $100 filing fee + $25 registered agent designation fee (required) = $125 total for new Florida LLC per Division of Corporations fee schedule That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Florida LLC fees after year one?
$138.75 for the Annual Report (with supplemental fee), due By May 1 each year (calendar year after formation for first report); late after May 1 is $538.75. Mandatory annual report via Sunbiz. No state income tax / no separate franchise tax on LLC profits. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Florida LLC really cost over three years?
$541.25 in Florida state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $830.25 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $1,288.25 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Florida.
Do I need a registered agent in Florida?
Yes. Florida registered agent with physical Florida address required; $25 designation fee included in formation total. Confirm Florida's DIY-versus-commercial agent rules with Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) before you file — a home address here becomes public record. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Florida figure above.
Is Florida a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Florida ranks #40 of 51 at $541.25 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Florida three-year number is built
Articles $125 + Annual Report $138.75×3 Figures are re-derived from the cited Florida sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Florida state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- Provider checkout upsells: see the national comparison page.
- Re-check live Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- Florida Division of Corporations — LLC Fees
- Florida Division of Corporations — File Annual Report
- Sunbiz portal
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Florida's $541.25 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Florida math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.