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In this guide, we will walk you through filing your Articles of Organization with the state.
Your Articles of Organization is the document that officially forms an LLC in Florida.
You can file your Articles of Organization with the Florida Department of State by mail or online (through Sunbiz).
The cost to form an LLC in Florida is $125. This is a one-time filing fee.
The filing fee is the same whether you file by mail or online.
How much is an LLC in Florida explains all the fees you’ll pay, including the Articles of Organization filing fee.
Note: The Articles of Organization fee is commonly referred to as the “LLC filing fee”. They are the same thing.
By mail: If you submit your Articles of Organization by mail, your Florida LLC will be approved in 12 business days (plus mail time).
Online: If you submit your Articles of Organization online, your LLC will be approved in 5 business days.
Note: Filing times may take longer due to government delays. For the most up-to-date LLC processing times, check how long does it take to get an LLC in Florida.
Recommendation: We recommend submitting your Articles of Organization online because the approval time is faster. However, we provide instructions for both filing methods below:
If you want to hire a company to form your LLC instead, check out Best LLC Services in Florida.
Prior Lessons: Before proceeding with this lesson, make sure you have searched your Florida LLC name and selected your LLC’s Florida Registered Agent.
Note: The Florida Department of State online filing system is called “Sunbiz”.
Pro Tip: If you’re forming your LLC in October, November, or December, and you don’t need your business open during those months, forward date your filing to January 1st. This will save you money on the Florida LLC Annual Report. And, depending on how your LLC is taxed, can save you money on taxes.
Leave this section blank if you want your LLC to be effective upon filing. This means your LLC will go into existence on the date it is approved by Sunbiz.
If you want your LLC to go into existence at a later date, enter that specific date. This date can’t be more than 90 days later than the date you file. And you can’t back-date your filing at all.
There is nothing to do in this section. The state is just telling you that the fee for filing your Florida LLC Articles of Organization is $125.
A Certificate of Status states that your LLC is in good standing. This document is not required to operate an LLC. Honestly, it’s just another way for the state to make more money. Most people don’t need one and don’t check this box.
A Certified Copy is just a fancy copy of your Articles of Organization. This document is not required to operate an LLC. Honestly, it’s just a way for the state to make more money. Most people don’t need one and don’t check this box.
Tip: We know the pop-up on Sunbiz says you may need a Certified Copy to open an LLC bank account. However, this isn’t true. You can just use the “regular” stamped and approved Articles of Organization to open an LLC bank account.
Enter your LLC name with the spelling and capitalization you would like. Include the designator (ending) you’d like to use.
Florida allows you to use these designators:
Enter your Florida LLC’s Principal Address.
What is a Principal Place of Business? Your LLC Principal Place of Business is:
Your Florida LLC’s Principal Address can be:
However, your Principal Office Address can’t be a PO Box.
Note: If you hire Northwest Registered Agent, you can use their address for your LLC’s Principal Office Address (and all other address fields). Check out our Northwest Registered Agent review for more information.
Check the box if your LLC’s Mailing Address is the same as its Principal Address
If not, enter your LLC’s mailing address.
The mailing address can be in any state, or any country. And Florida does allow you to use a PO Box for the LLC’s mailing address.
If you or someone you know is the Registered Agent:
If you’ve hired a different Commercial Registered Agent: You should contact them to get their information for this section.
This is optional and most people leave it blank.
There’s nothing to do in this section.
It’s just the state letting you know that your LLC has to file an Annual Report every year. The Annual Report costs $138.75.
Don’t worry, your first first Annual Report isn’t due until the year after your LLC is formed. To learn more, check out our Florida LLC Annual Report lesson.
Enter your name, and your email address twice. The state will use this email address to send reminder notices and documents to your LLC.
The LLC Organizer is the person who signs and submits your filing to the state.
Most people filing their own LLC are also the Organizer. If this is the case, just enter your name in the signature box.
Note: You should list any Member or Manager who will be on the LLC bank account in these fields. If you have more Members than can be entered, only enter the Members that will be on the LLC bank account.
Enter the information for each Member.
Note: If your LLC is owned by another company, leave the “Name” field blank and enter the company name in “Entity Name”.
Enter the information for each Manager.
Note: If your LLC is managed by another company, leave the “Name” field blank and enter the company name in “Entity Name”.
Click “Continue” to proceed.
Review your filing for accuracy and check for any typos.
If all looks good, click “Continue”. If you need to make any changes, click the back button in your browser.
Click “Credit Card Payment”.
(Ignore the part about Sunbiz e-filing.)
Enter your billing information and submit your payment to Sunbiz.
Congratulations! Your Florida LLC filing has been submitted to the state.
Your LLC will be approved in 5 business days.
Once approved, the state will email you an Acknowledgement Letter, and a link to download the stamped approved Articles of Organization.
Note: You’ll use your stamped and approved Articles of Organization and your Federal Tax ID Number to open a business bank account for your LLC.
Note: You can print the form, fill it out by hand (use blue or black pen), then sign. Or you can type in the form on your computer, then print and sign. Instructions for filling out the Articles of Organization are in pages 1 and 2 of the PDF.
Prepare Payment
Prepare a check or money order and make it payable to “Florida Department of State”.
Mail Documents
Send two copies of your completed Articles of Organization and filing fee to:
New Filing Section
Division of Corporations
PO Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
Why send two copies? The state keeps one, and returns the other copy stamped and approved to you.
LLC Approval by mail:
After filing by mail, your LLC will be approved in 12 business days (plus mail time). The state will then mail you an Acknowledgment Letter. If you sent two copies of your Articles of Organization, you will receive a stamped and approved Articles of Organization as well.
