LLC guide · Miami
How to start an LLC in Miami.
An LLC gives your Miami business a legal wall between the company and your personal life. Here is the honest reality of how it forms, what Florida costs, and what the city expects.
Forming an LLC for a Miami business.
Here is the honest structure: an LLC for a Miami business forms at the STATE level, not the city level. You file your Articles of Organization with the Florida Division of Corporations, known as Sunbiz, list a registered agent with a physical Florida address (you can usually be your own if you live here), and pay the state's filing fee. There is no separate city of Miami LLC, the entity is a Florida LLC that happens to operate in Miami.
Florida has a real advantage worth knowing: there is no state personal income tax. That is one honest reason so many businesses and people keep moving here. Florida LLCs do have to file an annual report with Sunbiz each year to stay active, and there is a fee for it, so budget for that from the start and file on time to avoid late penalties. The official Sunbiz site always has the current fees and deadlines.
On top of the state formation, the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County have their own requirements. Most businesses operating in the city need a Business Tax Receipt (formerly called an occupational license) from the City of Miami, and often a separate one from Miami-Dade County, plus a Certificate of Use confirming your location is zoned for what you do. Depending on your business you may also need county health permits or specific state licenses. Confirm what applies with the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and the relevant Florida licensing agency before you open the doors.
The steps, in order
- 1
Confirm an LLC is the right fit
An LLC gives you a legal wall between the business and your personal assets, with simpler paperwork than a corporation. It is the most common choice for a first Miami business.
- 2
Pick and clear your name
Search the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)'s registry to make sure the name is available in Florida, and grab the matching domain while you are there.
- 3
File the Articles of Organization with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)
This is the step that creates the LLC, and it happens at the state level. File directly with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), name a registered agent with a physical Florida address, and pay the state's filing fee.
- 4
Get your free EIN and write an operating agreement
Grab the EIN from the IRS at no charge, then put a simple operating agreement in place (even as a single member) so ownership and rules are clear.
- 5
Register with Miami and open a business bank account
Handle the city's business tax registration and any local permits, then open a business bank account with your EIN and formation documents to keep the liability separation real.
Registering it is one step. Building it is the journey.
Inside the platform, the Checklist walks your Miami setup step by step, Kenny (your AI coach) keeps you moving, and everything from the business plan to the brand studio is waiting. Start free.
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