How Do I Become Incorporated in Florida?
Florida is a great state for entrepreneurs and business owners wishing to incorporate. Not only does Florida attract visitors year-round from all over the world, incorporated businesses in Florida get some great incentives and tax breaks. Most other states require a minimum of $1,000 in capital to incorporate, but Florida has no such requirement. This makes getting started even easier. Incorporating is the best way to get your Florida business off to a successful start.
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Instructions
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Visit the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations website and do a search for company names. Corporations cannot duplicate names, so it's important to make sure you have chosen a name that is not already in use.
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Navigate to the "Electronic Filings" page of the Division of Corporations website and determine what type of filing you need to do. This is based on what type of corporation you have. There are different online forms for profit, non-profit, LLC, and limited partnerships.
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Accept the terms of the disclaimer for the appropriate type of filing and go to the forms page. Here you will fill in your corporation's information, such as the name of your business, the principal place of business address, the mailing address, the name and address of the principal agent and the purpose of the company. A valid email address is also required.
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Pay the appropriate fees online by credit card. Add a Certificate of Status and a certified copy of your documents for an additional fee. A Certificate of Status certifies that your company is in good standing with the state and a certified copy of your documents certifies that your articles of incorporation are true and correct. Most banks require this document to open a bank account on behalf of your business.
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Tips & Warnings
Although online filing is pretty straightforward, one of the easiest ways to incorporate a business in Florida is to use an incorporation provider approved by the state. These companies specialize in incorporation, and handle filing all documents for a set fee. The fee is based on the type of corporation being formed.
References
- Photo Credit Founatin and Jacksonville, Florida skyline image by Matt Ferrell from Fotolia.com
