Florida Corporation

You can get an EIN directly from the IRS. The application is free, and most businesses can apply online. However, if you don’t have a social security number, you’ll need to submit a paper application form. Can’t bear to fill out yet another application? Hire Northwest to get your EIN for you. Just add on EIN service during checkout when you sign up for our incorporation service.

Corporate bylaws cover basic policies and procedures for issues such as company finances and management. Bylaws should cover a range of topics, answering key questions like those below:

• Meetings: When and where will meetings for shareholders and directors be held? How many attendees are required to transact business? What are the procedures for voting or proxy voting? How do you call a special meeting? What actions can be taken without a meeting?

• Stock: How are stock certificates issued and transferred? How is voting affected by issues such as corporate stock owners or fractional shares?

• Directors and officers: How many directors must there be? Which officer positions are required? What powers do they have? How do you fill a vacancy or remove a director or officer?

• Finances: What are the procedures for retaining profits, issuing dividends, and paying bills? Who can withdraw money from the corporate bank account or sign checks?

• Records: Where is the corporate book to be kept? What information will be maintained? How are requests for review or access honored? Can records or copies be kept or distributed digitally?

• Amendments and emergencies: Who can amend bylaws and how? Can emergency bylaws be adopted in the case of disaster?

Florida bylaws can make other provisions as well, assuming additions are in accordance with state law. For example, FL Stat § 607.1602 (2019) states that bylaws cannot abolish or limit the ability of shareholders to inspect and copy any corporate records after giving written notice.

Creating bylaws can be overwhelming—where do you start? Northwest can help. We give you free corporate bylaws when you hire us to form your Florida corporation. We know what kinds of topics and questions corporations need to address, and we’ve spent years refining and improving our forms. We offer many other free corporate forms as well, including templates for resolutions and meeting minutes.

The annual report has a flat fee of $150.

The filing is due before 12:01 AM on May 1. After that, you’ll have to pay a $400 late fee! But even if you’re filing late, be sure to get your annual report filed before the third Friday in September, as your business will be administratively dissolved the following Friday.

These filings can be easy to forget—which is why we send our clients automatic reminders for your Florida Annual Report filings. Or better yet, let us file for you. With our business renewal service, we send you the completed annual report for you to add your tax information, then submit the report for you for $100 plus the state fee.

Florida corporations have one major tax requirement, a corporate net income tax.

The corporate income tax rate is a flat 5.5%, and the first $50,000 of income is exempt. As a plus, if you have an S corporation, Florida is one of the few states that doesn’t have a personal net income tax, which usually frees you from state-level income tax obligations (not that you won’t have other taxes, but no state income tax is a pretty nice perk).

The Florida sales tax is 6%. City, county and specialty sales taxes can be tacked on as well, making the average total sales tax 7.006%.

Yes, if you conduct business in Florida, you’re required to register with the Florida Department of Revenue. You can register via the Department of Revenue or by filing a Florida Business Tax Application. You’ll need your EIN before you can register.

At least $70, and with additional options, it could be as much as $87.50. The base filing fee is $35, but the state also requires a $35 fee for Designation of Registered Agent – and if you choose the options to add a certified copy or certificate of status, those additional documents are $8.75 each.

Hire us for a one-time fee of $295, including the state filing fees, a year of registered agent service, a business address and more.

Document processing times can vary in Florida, and filings are processed in the order they are received. Articles filed by mail can take 3 weeks to process – 15 business days. If filing online, the process is a little faster, around 10 business days but sometimes longer. You can check Sunbiz to see when today’s items being processed originally arrived.

Yes, FL Stat § 205.053 (2019) states that businesses must obtain a Local Business Tax Receipt before engaging in any business in Florida. The tax (formerly called an Occupational License) is administered on the county level. Tax costs vary based on the type of business and number of employees but are often under $100.

For some license applications you may need an EIN or a certified copy of your Articles of Incorporation. At Northwest, we can streamline the process and get these for you—simply add on these items during checkout.

A corporation formed outside of Florida—but which conducts business in the state—is considered a foreign Florida corporation. For example, if you incorporated in Georgia but decide to open a storefront in Florida, you would be a foreign Florida corporation. This also means you would need to register with the state by filing a Florida Application by Foreign Corporation for Authorization to Transact Business in Florida with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Corporations. Foreign corporations are required to file the Florida Annual Report each year as well.

Whether you need a professional business address, travel often, or simply want to keep your personal information off public records, your corporation can benefit from mail forwarding. At Northwest, we include limited mail forwarding with our registered agent and formation services. For more robust needs, we also offer unlimited mail forwarding with a unique suite number as part of our premium Florida mail forwarding service. While you can use our address, we unfortunately do not have the capabilities to act as your return address for online or Amazon sellers.

Absolutely! We’re happy to start a nonprofit corporation for you. Note that incorporating a Florida nonprofit requires a different form. Florida nonprofits still must file an annual report each year, but the fee is only $61.25.

It’s a conundrum: you need a local number to display on your website and give to customers, but you don’t want to make your personal number quite so…public. We get it. And we’ve got you covered with Northwest Phone Service. We can provide you with a virtual phone number in any state—plus unlimited call forwarding and tons of easy-to-use features. You can try Phone Service free for 60 days when you hire us to form your corporation, and maintaining service is just $9 monthly after that. No contract required.