What it actually costs to open a business in Miami, step by step

Forming a Florida LLC costs $125 in state filing fees — $100 for the Articles of Organization plus a $25 registered agent designation, per the Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations fee schedule current as of August 2026. That's just the first of three registrations a Miami business typically needs before it can legally open.

If you're starting a business in Miami, the paperwork runs through three separate governments, each with its own form, fee and renewal clock: the State of Florida, Miami-Dade County, and — if you're operating inside city limits — the City of Miami itself. Skipping any one of them can mean penalties that stack fast. Here's what each step actually requires.

How much does it cost to form an LLC with the state of Florida?

Filing Articles of Organization with the Division of Corporations costs $100, and the state adds a mandatory $25 fee to designate a registered agent, bringing the standard total to $125, according to the Division's LLC fee schedule. Optional extras include a $5 Certificate of Status and a $30 certified copy of the filing.

The Division files online submissions in the order received and emails confirmation once the paperwork is examined and approved; mailed filings get the same first-in, first-out treatment but arrive by U.S. mail. Before filing, the business name has to be "distinguishable" from existing entities in the state's Sunbiz database. LLCs also owe an annual report afterward — $138.75 if filed by May 1, jumping to $538.75 if it's filed late, per the same fee schedule.

Do you need a federal EIN, and what does it cost?

An Employer Identification Number from the IRS is free — the agency's own guidance warns that "you never have to pay a fee for an EIN" and flags third-party sites that charge for one as something to avoid. Most LLCs need an EIN to open a business bank account, hire staff, or file certain tax returns, and the online application typically issues the number within minutes of approval.

To apply, the responsible party needs a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, and the business's principal location must be in the U.S. or a U.S. territory. The IRS online tool is available on a set weekly schedule and each session expires after 15 minutes of inactivity, so it helps to have the LLC's formation details on hand before starting.

What is a Miami-Dade County Local Business Tax Receipt, and who needs one?

Every business operating in Miami-Dade County needs a Local Business Tax Receipt, which the county's Tax Collector's office describes as a required permit to legally operate — separate from, and in addition to, any city-level license. The receipt runs on a fixed annual cycle, valid from October 1 through September 30 regardless of when a business first applies, per the Tax Collector's office.

The tax owed varies by business classification — the number of employees, seats, units or square footage involved — so there's no single flat fee across all businesses, according to the county's category listings. New applicants can apply online through the county's BTExpress system or submit a paper application by mail or in person; processing typically takes three business days. Applicants must also file a declaration, through the county's ConsentHub system, confirming they don't do business with Cuba in violation of federal law.

Does the City of Miami require its own business tax receipt too?

Yes. A city Business Tax Receipt (BTR) is required in addition to the county receipt for any business operating within Miami city limits, according to the City of Miami's own business-licensing page. Most applicants must first obtain a Certificate of Use — confirming the location is zoned for that kind of business — before the city will issue the BTR; peddlers, food trucks, and businesses without a fixed Miami location can skip that prerequisite and apply directly.

Applications go through the city's MiamiBiz portal, where applicants submit their federal EIN (or Social Security Number for a sole proprietorship) along with any required state licensing documents. The city reviews the submission, requests corrections if something's missing, and emails an invoice once it's approved, payable online by credit card. The city's page doesn't publish a flat fee table — like the county, the amount depends on the business type and size.

State, county and city licensing at a glance

What happens if you miss a renewal deadline?

For the county receipt, missing the September 30 renewal deadline triggers a 10% penalty starting in October, plus an additional 5% for every month it stays unpaid after that, capped at 25% of the tax owed, per the Tax Collector's office. Accounts still unpaid after 150 days can face a further penalty of up to $250.

The state's annual report penalty is steeper in relative terms: a report that's on time costs $138.75, but filing after May 1 nearly quadruples that to $538.75, according to the Division of Corporations' fee schedule. None of these penalties are optional or negotiable case by case — they're set by the fee schedules each agency publishes, which is also why it's worth calendaring both the state's May 1 annual-report deadline and the county's September 30 renewal date the same week the business first registers.

None of this is legal or tax advice — a new business's exact obligations can vary by structure, location within Miami-Dade's dozens of municipalities, and industry, and the state, county and city offices above are the sources to confirm current fees and forms before filing.

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