Florida Corporation

What is a Florida Corporation?

A Florida Corporation is a business formation that can be formed by one or more people by filing the formation paperwork with the Florida Division of Corporations. The Florida Corporation will be used for various business purposes. Financial transactions, corporation ownership distribution and public offerings are a few examples. There are a few requirements to operate and form a Corporation in Florida legally.

Florida Corporation Requirements

  1. State Filing Fees of $70.
  2. A Registered Agent located in Florida. See our service here.
  3. Florida Articles of Incorporation
  4. Beneficial Ownership Information Report filing. Report due after company formation starting January 1, 2024.

Florida Corporation Structure

FL Corporations are structured legally with the Florida Articles of Incorporation. Like many states, the document for a Corporation formation is short and simple.

The required information to be listed:

  • Corporation Name
  • Principal Office Address
  • Purpose
  • Shares
  • Officers/Directors
  • Registered Agent
  • Incorporator

Florida Corporation Name

The first requirement of the Florida Corporation is to present a name through Article I of the Articles of Incorporation. The name is required to have a suffix worded as “Corporation”, “Corp.”, “Incorporated”, “Inc.”, “Company” or “Co”.

Principal Office

A Principal Office address will be listed. This address can not be a PO Box. The address must be listed as a street address for the Florida Principal Office. The mailing address listed can be a PO Box.

Purpose

Purpose statements are a written statement explaining what purpose the Florida Corporation is being set up for. A purpose statement is required in Florida.

Shares

The number of shares the Florida Corporation is authorized to issue from the stock is a required listing.

Officers/Directors

The initial Officers and or Directors must be listed with the Articles of Incorporation in Florida. The required information to be gathered is the name and title of the person and that persons address.

Registered Agent

Name and address of your Florida Registered Agent will be required before the Corporation can become live. The FL Registered Agent’s address can not be a PO Box. The Registered Agent must be at their office during specified hours to receive legal documents.

Incorporator

The name and address of the Incorporator for a Florida Corporation will be listed.

Florida Incorporation Facts
The Document to File Articles of Incorporation
The Fee Charged $70 (includes filing and registered agent fee)
The Agency Florida Division of Corporations
What We Charge $215 (includes registered agent)
Online Filing Yes
Annual Report Due Date May 1
Annual Report Fee $150
AR Late Fee $400
Corporate Tax 5.5%

How to File a Florida Corporation

Steps in forming a Florida Corporation:

  1. Choose a Proper Corporate Name: Pursuant to Florida state law, a Florida Corporation must select a name that meets the standards of state statutes and is not currently in use by another entity.
  2. File Articles of Incorporation: In compliance with Chapter 607 and Chapter 621 F.S., to form a corporation you must file Articles of Incorporation with the Division of Corporations. The DOC charges a a $35 filing fee. Articles of Incorporation can be filed online.
  3. Appoint a Registered Agent: Under Title XXXVI 607.0501 of Florida statutes, to form a corporation, you must appoint a Florida registered agent within the state. A Florida incorporation will not be processed without an agent and a registered office. The DOC charges a $35 fee to appoint an agent.
  4. Write Corporate Bylaws: Either before or after completing a Florida incorporation, corporate bylaws should be written. Bylaws outline the ownership of the company, as well as how the corporation will operate. Bylaws are critical for organizing and maintaining a corporation.
  5. Open Accounts: A corporation needs separate bank accounts from its shareholders in order to maintain the separation of personal and business monies. Every bank branch has its own requirements for opening business accounts. Calling the branch is the best option for learning exactly what you need to provide.
  6. File Annual Reports and Pay Taxes: After completing a Florida incorporation, an annual report is filed every year by May 1. The fee is $150. After May 1, a late fee of $400 is assessed by the Division of Corporations. Corporations pay a corporate income tax of 5.5%.
  7. Submit Beneficial Ownership Information Report: Following formation, you must file a BOI report with the federal Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. This report is free to file and must be submitted online starting January 1, 2024.

Additional Resources: 
How to Start a Florida Corporation
How to Form a Florida Corporation (paper option)

Can I Form a Florida Corporation Online?

Yes. You can do a Florida incorporation entirely online. An online filing will speed up the processing time and can be paid for with a major credit card.

What is the Difference Between Authorized Shares and Issued Shares?

When you form a corporation, you are asked to designate how many shares of stock your corporation intends to initially authorize. Authorized shares are the total number of shares in existence (they can be added to later). These shares do not, however, have to issued to shareholders. Shares that are given to the initial shareholders (usually in exchange for investments or assets) are “issued shares.” A corporation can authorize 100 shares of stock but only issue 50 to shareholders, reserving the other 50 to be issued at a later time.

Is it Possible to Form an Anonymous Corporation in Florida?

No. There is no way to form an anonymous corporation in Florida.

Annual Report and Taxes

After you form a corporation in Florida, an annual report is due the following year by May 1. This report can be filed online. The Division of Corporations charges a $150 fee to file the report. There is a $400 late fee for all reports filed after May 1.

In addition to the report, corporations pay a 5.5% corporate tax on profits.

Federal Beneficial Ownership Information Report Filing

Starting January 1, 2024, most newly-formed corporations are required to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) after company formation. On your report, you’ll need to disclose some basic details about your company and those with the most control over your corporation’s profits and operations. Save yourself from the additional paperwork with our $25 BOI report filing service.

Why Hire Corporate Filing Solutions to Form Your Florida Corporation?

Starting your Corporation in Florida shouldn’t be a hassle or a time consumer. That’s why we offer Filings Made Easy™ to make starting a Corporation in Florida super easy.

Hire us and relax while our filing experts form your new Florida Corporation. Our staff will process orders the same business day as they are received. To make things even easier, we bundle the first year of registered agent service and ensure your Florida Corporation comes fully equipped and ready to do its job.

Start your Corporation in Florida and get Registered Agent service for as low as $55 a year.