Obtaining a Florida Small Business License

New businesses in Florida need to look at state, county and local regulations to obtain the needed licenses. The type of business, structure, and location impact your Florida license. Visit the Florida official economic development organization, Enterprise Florida, Inc. Here are some issues to consider.

 

If you provide goods and/or services to the general public you will need a general business license, called a business tax receipt. They can be obtained by registering with the tax collector’s office. County tax collectors provide business tax receipts. You may also need a city business tax receipt, depending upon your location. You can contact your county tax collector for further information. Costs of a business tax receipt will vary.

Depending upon your industry, your business may also be a regulated profession or business which must be licensed through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. For some professions, you can apply and update your licenses online at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. You can also check there to determine if your business has additional state licensing requirements.  

In some instances, a business will operate under a fictitious name or doing business as (DBA), which means a company name other than their legal name, so it must apply for its fictitious name with the Florida Department of State. This can be done online or downloaded and mailed from a form you can obtain at the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations website. Once your fictitious name has been approved, your company may use this name to transact business throughout the state of Florida.

Don’t forget to keep your licenses current

Steve Koenig, SCORE Counselor

Visit us at: www.scoresouthflorida.net