How to Open a Business in Tallahassee

Tallahasse, Florida

Opening a new business in Tallahassee offers advantages to the small business entrepreneur. As the state capital, facilities for business operations including meeting rooms, hotels and exhibit spaces are plentiful. There are 300+ business and professional associations covering all fields. Tourists tend to visit Tallahassee and the Florida Panhandle during the summer months, leaving South Florida for winter tourism. There are seven universities and community colleges, offering a supply of part-time help to businesses. An operation named WorkForce Plus links businesses and qualified employees seeking work.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Select a business name and register with the Florida Secretary of State if the plan is to do business as a corporation. Contact the Corporate Information Department at [phone]. Corporations must pay income tax, so check with the State Department of Revenue at [phone].

2. Register the business name with the Secretary of State as fictitious if not a corporation and different from the owner’s name. Call [phone] for information on this process.

3. Obtain both Tallahassee and Leon County Business Tax Certificates, also known as an occupational license. Contact Tallahassee City Hall at [phone] and the Leon County Tax Collector’s office at [phone]. While non-profit businesses are exempt from the business tax, they still have to obtain the tax certificate.

4. Get a special license if operating in one of Florida’s controlled professions. Check for a list of these by visiting the State of Florida Government page given in Additional Resources and looking at the pull-down menu under the “License Category” section. This kind of license has to be obtained before getting a city license.

5. Investigate requirements for taxes if retail trade or other sales-related occupations are involved. Check with the Florida State Department of Revenue, (850 488-9750.

6. Consider joining the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, 100 Duval St., P.O. Box 1639, Tallahassee, FL 32302, telephone [phone]. Get accredited by the Better Business Bureau of Northeast Florida, 4417 Beach Blvd., Suite 202, Jacksonville, FL 32207, [phone].

7. Start a subscription to the local newspaper, the "Tallahassee Democrat," to begin learning more about the community. The address is 277 North Magnolia Drive, Tallahassee, FL, 32301-2664.

Tips & Warnings

• Registration processes can be accomplished online through the government pages listed in Resources below.

• A “Florida Business Guide” is available for $9.95 plus $3.00 shipping and handling. Order this from the listed resource.

• The Florida Small Business Development Center Network can be accessed by searching “SBDC Florida” on the web.

Resources

• City of Tallahassee government pages
• Business start-up information for Tallahassee
• State of Florida apecial licenses
• Florida business guide