Requirements for an LLC in Florida

Wondering what you need to get your LLC up and running in Florida? Well once you’ve decided on a name, it’s all smooth sailing from there.

Besides the name, what do you need?

After deciding on an unique and memorable name, all you need to do is appoint a Registered Agent for your LLC, and file your Articles of Organization form with the Florida Division  of Corporations. Your Registered Agent must be a full-time resident of Florida and can therefore provide your LLC with a Florida address if you do not currently have one. Your LLC needs a local Florida address to which all legal and tax documents, and government correspondence and notices of lawsuits related to your LLC are sent. Your Registered Agent will have to keep regular office hours in order to promptly receive said documents and correspondences and to immediately inform you if pertinent mail arrives for your LLC. Additionally, it will cost $125 to file your Articles of Organization form but once filed and processed, is a legal document that officially creates your LLC in Florida, and once you’ve legally formed your LLC, you can create your LLC’s Operating Agreement which outlines the ownership and operating procedures for your LLC. Your Operating Agreement, an internal yet legally binding document, is created to ensure all future owners are in agreement and to mitigate the risk of future conflict among owners. One of the next things your LLC then needs is an Employer Identification Number (EIN), which is obtained from the IRS free of charge. Your EIN is assigned to keep track of your LLC for tax-related purposes, but it also allows you to open a business bank account and hire employees for your LLC. So, that’s the list of things you require to form your Florida LLC and get it up and running. 

Florida business licenses and permits

Now that you have your name, your Registered Agent and officially filed for your LLC and your EIN, and created your Operating Agreement , it’s time to get your business licences and permits. Having the required business licences and permits is crucial to keep your LLC in compliance with state and federal law. The specific business licences and permits depend on the industry your LLC operates, but without the correct ones your LLC would not be able to conduct business and generate a profit once it’s up and running. It is important that you check which business permits and licences your LLC requires before starting your LLC filing process. That way, all your official start-up forms, licences and permits come through simultaneously and you start operating immediately. 

What about the requirements for an LLC in other US states?

Lucky for you, the US does not enforce stringent restrictions on who can form or be a member of an LLC. As long as all members are 18 and olders, an LLC can be formed by individuals, corporations, trusts, or even other LLCs. What does depend and vary from state to state, however, is the different forms which are filed, and the different accompanying documents, to start your LLC. For example, in California, you are required to file an Articles of Organization form, an Operating Agreement and an Initial Statement of Information form but in the case of  an LLC in Indiana or Florida, all you require is your Articles of Organization form and your Operating Agreement. It is therefore important to know which state requires which documents and forms, and if you don’t know then learn from people who do. 

 

Setting up an LLC in Florida can be done before you know it, it’s all about being prepared and knowing what will be required of you. Visit TRUiC’s website today and find out all about what you need to form your LLC in Florida. Don’t be afraid to learn from people who know how to do it, at TRUiC find friendly help and start your LLC today.