How to Open a Business in Tallahassee, Florida

Do you want to do business in the sunshine state?

Starting a business isn't just about following a dream, it's also about following rules. Florida considers itself a business-friendly state, but there are still a lot of legal requirements start up businesses have to meet before they open their doors. If you want to open a business in Tallahassee, you'll have city and state rules to meet. Fortunately, the official city website, talgov.com, lists the information and the links you'll need to get your ducks in a row.

Instructions

1. Register a name. If you plan to incorporate your business, you will need to pick a corporate name and register it with the state. If you're not incorporating but you aren't using your own name---as in John Smith, plumber, for instance---you'll need to register that name too. If you wonder what names and trademarks have already been used in Tallahassee, the Department of State's website allows you to search for names that have already been registered in Florida.

2. Obtain all necessary licenses. Florida requires state licenses from professionals in 50 regulated professions, such as barbers and pharmacists. Tallahassee businesses of any sort will need licenses from both City Hall and the Leon County government. Talgov.com says businesses will need city licenses---called tax certificates---for each branch or location of the business, and if your business fits into multiple legal classifications, it might need a certificate for each class it belongs in.

3. Establish your tax status. This includes applying for a state sales-tax certificate if you open a Tallahassee retail business; being ready to pay Florida corporate income tax if you incorporate; acquiring a federal tax ID number from the IRS, unless you're a sole proprietorship with no employees; and in Tallahassee, contacting the Leon County Property Appraiser. The appraiser will assess personal property tax on your business equipment and other business property.

4. Check the zoning. Tallahassee, like many cities, restricts the type of businesses that can be opened in different zoning districts so that families don't live next door to slaughterhouses, for instance. If your plans don't match the site you want to open your business on, you can apply to the city to rezone the property; if your neighbors object to your plans, however, they will have the opportunity to speak out against rezoning.

5. Check the rules for home businesses if you plan to open one. Tallahassee allows them in all zoning districts, but you can't have any employees come from outside your home; must keep the business entirely inside the home; can't have any signage or advertising on the outside of the house or in the yard; and can't have more than 10 customers visit a day, unless you're a music or dance teacher. Check the homeowner covenants for your neighborhood, too: Many associations forbid home businesses.

References

• Tallahassee: Business Startup Information

Resources

• Florida Department of State: Division of Corporations