Before forming your Florida LLC, you should ensure that you are fully aware of the various fees as well as the requirements. This will help you ensure that you are never in violation of Florida regulations and do not run the risk of penalties, such as fines or the dissolution of your LLC. One Florida LLC benefit is being able to file your report online.
The Annual Report
Among the most important requirements for LLCs in Florida is the annual report. This can be easily submitted via the official Sunbiz website. Completing the annual report is very straightforward. The most important part is to confirm that the current information that Florida has for your LLC is correct. This includes things such as the registered agent, your address, and the authorized managers.
Your Florida annual report must be submitted on May 1st at the latest, every single year. At the time of writing, LLCs must pay a filing fee of $138.75 when completing their annual report. If you have a different business structure, the fee will be different. Avoid filing your report late as this comes with a $400 penalty. The fees are the same regardless of whether you have a multi-member or single member LLC.
Paying Florida Business Taxes
Many people choose to form an LLC over other business structures because of its pass-through taxation. This means that instead of the LLC having to pay federal taxes on income, those taxes are paid by the individual members on their portion of the profits. This means that LLCs will not pay federal income taxes, just the members. Furthermore, Florida does not charge income tax on individuals, so LLC members do not owe any state tax for their LLC-related earnings. Certain states may charge a fee or tax to LLCs for being able to do business there, but Florida does not.
While most LLCs will not pay any business tax in Florida, there are exceptions if you chose a different taxation structure. It is possible to have the IRS and Florida treat your business as a corp for taxes. If this applies to you, you would have already filled out a form from the IRS. In that situation, you will need to file a tax return for your LLC.
Florida does tax corporate income so LLCs that change their taxation structure will owe state tax. This is usually 5.5 percent of the income that is federally taxable, although there are exceptions. Or you may pay the alternative minimum of the income tax, depending on your LLC's finances.
Paying Florida Employer Taxes
If your Florida LLC has any employees, then you will owe taxes on employment. Some will be owed to the IRS while others go to Florida. You will likely have to pay Florida taxes for unemployment insurance via the Department of Revenue.
Paying Florida Use and Sales Taxes
In the case of LLCs that sell physical goods in Florida, sales tax will also come into play. You must register with the DOR and make periodic payments for sales tax on the goods you sell. Complete the initial registration either online or via mail. Following registration, the Department of Revenue sends you the key documents. You then must file returns for sales tax either annually, semiannually, quarterly, or monthly. This can also be done electronically or on paper.
Registration Outside Florida
To add the specific fees and requirements for Florida LLCs, any LLC that operates in another state may have to register there as well. This will vary based on your operations and the requirements of the other states you operate in. As such, it is important to carefully read the details for any state in which you operate, or to consult a professional familiar with those regulations. These fees and requirements apply for all limited liability companies, even those with one member. Learn more about Florida LLC benefits here.