Why Form a Corporation in Florida?

Florida Corporation Form, Filing and Permit Requirements

When you’re forming a Florida S Corporation or C Corporation, you will need to file certain forms and pay certain fees. Requirements can come from various bodies including the federal government, the FL Division of Corporations and elsewhere.

Below is a rundown of what you’ll need to do, together with information on the requirements for your Florida corporation. Some of these forms you only need to submit once, while others must be filed on a regular basis.

We provide a paid service to take care of certain filings and forms for your Florida corporation. Alternatively, you can choose to file these requirements yourself — make sure that you set calendar reminders.

Start Your S Corp with Incfile     Start Your C Corp with Incfile

File Your Articles of Incorporation

The Articles of Incorporation document is the formal paperwork that you file with the Florida Division of Corporations to create your corporation.

Once the Articles of Incorporation document is filed with the FL Division of Corporations, your business is legally formed as a Florida corporation. The Articles of Incorporation typically includes:

• The Florida corporation’s name

• The Florida corporation’s purpose

• The Florida corporation’s mailing address and street address

• The Florida corporation's Registered Agent and their address

• The Florida corporation’s capital structure (number of shares to be issued, who owns them, pricing, etc.)

• The names and addresses of officers and directors

• The effective date

• The name and address of the incorporator

Here at Incfile, we automatically create and file your Articles of Incorporation on your behalf when you start your S Corporation or C Corporation with us.

Business Licenses and Permits for Your Florida Corporation

Depending on the type of Florida corporation you’re running, you will need to obtain various business licenses and permits. These are not required to form your FL corporation, but you must have them to legally carry out business. It’s vital to understand the permits and licenses required for your business to operate in compliance in your jurisdiction.

City Licenses and Permits for Your Corporation

Various cities in Florida have slightly different rules and fees for permits and licenses for corporations. Check with your local Florida city administration to see what their rules are. You will need a separate permit or license for each city your Florida corporation operates in.

County and State Business Permits and Licenses

Depending on the type of business you are running, you may need to get additional permits and licenses from the county or state of Florida. You can get an idea of the types of permits and licenses your S Corporation or C Corporation might need from the State of Florida website.

Federal Licenses and Permits

Some corporations will need to get licenses and permits from the federal government and various national agencies. You can find a complete list on the U.S. Small Business Administration website.

Incfile Business License Research Package for Your Florida Corporation

Because permits vary widely depending on the type of Florida corporation you are operating and where you are located, we provide a comprehensive Business License Research Package. It’s designed to tell you all of the licenses and permits necessary for your new corporation. It includes:

• A comprehensive package of all the licenses, permits and tax registrations required for your business

• The application forms to file with the appropriate licensing authorities

Your customized Business License Research Package will be emailed to you within two days of your Florida Corporation being formed by the Florida Division of Corporations.

Get the Incfile Business License Research Package

Other Special Requirements for Your Florida S Corp or C Corp

Because you’re forming a corporation, there are certain other legal, regulatory and compliance areas you need to meet.

Create Bylaws for Your Florida Corporation

Bylaws are the formal, internal rules that your Florida corporation must follow to stay active. You will need to create and agree to bylaws in certain areas.

• Defining your Florida registered office and FL Registered Agent

• Stating details of the Annual General Meeting (AGM), including date, place, time and other relevant information

• Other details from the AGM, including the order of business, notice, voting record, quorum, proxies, shareholder actions and more

• Stating when a special shareholders’ meeting may be held and the circumstances that could lead to it

• Details of stock certificates, ownership, issuing and transfer

• Details of the Board of Directors, including how they are elected and appointed, their number, the powers they have, how they can be removed, regular meetings and agendas, executive committees, remuneration and other areas

• Details of the various officers in the corporation, including how they are chosen and appointed

• Designations of officers in the Florida corporation including president, vice presidents, secretary, assistant secretaries and treasurer

• Rules around dividends, declarations and reserves

• Any other formalities the corporation believes need to be documented

Corporation Shareholders Must Be Issued Stock

Ownership in a Florida corporation is expressed through the issuance of shares. You must create stock certificates and formally issue stock to any agreed initial shareholders in the corporation.

Appoint a Board of Directors

You must appoint directors to all positions in line with the agreed Florida corporation bylaws. The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction and overall management of the corporation. The board selects officers who will manage the day-to-day activities of the corporation.

Assign Officers to the Corporation

Officers are the individuals who manage the Florida corporation on a day-to-day basis. At minimum a FL corporation should have a president, secretary and treasurer. Theoretically, one person could hold more than one position.

Get a Corporate Records Book

Your Florida corporation will need a book to record important information about the business. This book will include details like your Articles of Incorporation, corporate bylaws, meeting minutes, AGM details, directors, officers, stock certificate information, transfer documents and more.

Hire Employees

You may need to hire employees for your Florida corporation. You will need:

• An Employer Identification Number (EIN)

• Worker’s Compensation Insurance

• General Liability Insurance

Get an EIN through Incfile

Your Florida Corporation Must Hold an Annual General Meeting

You must hold a yearly meeting that all directors, officers and shareholders of the FL corporation are invited to. The purpose of an AGM is generally to:

• Discuss important information

• Make strategic decisions

• Understand opportunities, risks and issues

• Vote on important resolutions and other matters

Florida Corporation Tax Registration

You will need to register for certain taxes when you form your corporation. These include:

• Federal income tax

• Corporation tax (only for C Corporations)

• Sales and Use tax

• Employment taxes

You can find details on the Florida Department of Revenue and IRS websites.

Your Florida Corporation Will Need to File an Annual Report

You must file an annual report with the Florida Division of Corporations for your Florida corporation. If you do not file your report regularly, you will be charged a late fee and your FL corporation may be dissolved.

Learn about your ongoing Florida corporation filing requirements and business filing deadlines with our helpful Florida ongoing filing lookup tool.

Have Incfile file your report for you

Your Florida Corporation May Need a Certificate of Good Standing

You may need a Certificate of Good Standing for your Florida corporation to carry out some business-related services like opening a bank account.

Get a Certificate of Good Standing through Incfile

Ready to Start Your Florida Corporation?

Incfile provides a cost-effective service to help you create your Florida corporation. We guide you through the process and handle most of the administrative steps, such as filing the necessary forms on your behalf.

Our basic package also provides a free Registered Agent service for the first year. If you're looking for help starting an S Corporation or C Corporation, our comprehensive services provide outstanding value.

Start Your S Corp with Incfile     Start Your C Corp with Incfile