Formation File No. 02Business Venture File

Step-by-Step: Forming an LLC in Florida on Sunbiz

Business entity filing for a Florida LLC on the Sunbiz website

Florida makes forming an LLC almost entirely an online affair. The Division of Corporations runs Sunbiz.org, and a careful owner can finish the filing in under an hour. Here is the path, screen by screen, with the decisions you should make before you start.

Before you open Sunbiz

Gather these details first so the session does not time out while you hunt for information:

Your chosen LLC name, plus one or two backups.
A principal office street address (it can be outside Florida) and a mailing address.
Your registered agent's exact name and Florida street address, with their consent.
Names and addresses of any managers or authorized representatives you want listed.
A credit card or Sunbiz e-file account for the $125 fee ($100 filing plus $25 registered agent designation). Certified copies and a certificate of status cost extra.

Step 1: Check name availability

Use the "Search Records" tool on Sunbiz and search by entity name. Florida requires that your name be distinguishable from existing names on record and that it include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC" or "L.L.C." Words like "bank" or "insurance" trigger extra rules. A search result that shows a close match does not always block you, but if the difference is only punctuation or a word like "the," expect rejection.

Step 2: Choose your registered agent

This is the decision most people rush. The agent receives legal papers and state notices, and their address becomes public. Decide this before you begin the form.

Step 3: Start the Articles of Organization

From the Sunbiz home page, select "Start a Business," then "Florida Limited Liability Company," and begin the electronic Articles of Organization. You will be asked to acknowledge the disclaimer and then move into the form fields.

Effective date. Leave it blank to make the LLC effective on filing, or choose a date up to 90 days ahead. Some owners pick January 1 to avoid an annual report in a year when the company barely existed.
Company name. Enter it exactly as you want it on record, with the required LLC designator.
Principal and mailing addresses. The principal office must be a street address; the mailing address can be a P.O. box.
Registered agent. Enter the agent's name and Florida street address. The agent's electronic signature confirms acceptance.
Correspondence email. Sunbiz uses this to send annual report reminders and filing notices. Use an inbox you actually check.
Managers or authorized representatives. Optional, but many banks expect at least one name listed. Titles are typically "MGR" for manager or "AMBR" for authorized member.
Signature. An authorized representative types their name as an electronic signature.

Step 4: Review, pay and submit

Sunbiz shows a summary page. Read every field slowly — typos in the company name or agent address require an amendment and another fee to correct. Add a certified copy or certificate of status if your bank asks for one. Then pay and save the tracking number. The agent you name is one of the first decisions in forming a Florida LLC online.

Step 5: Wait for approval

Online filings are usually reviewed within a few business days, sometimes faster. You can check status on Sunbiz with your tracking number. Once approved, your LLC receives a document number and appears in public records, with an image of the filed Articles available to anyone.

Step 6: Download and file your records

Save the approved Articles as a PDF and keep it with the rest of your company records. You will need it to open a bank account, sign a lease and sometimes to obtain local licenses.

What usually goes wrong

A name rejected as not distinguishable — avoid this with a thorough search and a backup name.
A registered agent address that is a P.O. box or out of state.
An unchecked email address, which later means missed annual report reminders.
Choosing an effective date in late December, which triggers an annual report due just months later.

Next up: once Sunbiz approves your filing, move straight to the IRS EIN application and your operating agreement, explained in our first-year LLC tasks guide. For a closer look at the agent fields, see our Articles of Organization explainer.

A note on timing

There is no penalty for taking an extra day to get the details right. There is a cost, in time and fees, for filing quickly and amending later. Prepare your information, settle the registered agent question, and the Sunbiz portion of forming your Florida LLC really is the easy part.