How to search Florida records
- Search by entity name, officer or registered agent name, document number, FEI/EIN, or zip code from the Sunbiz search menu.
- Open "Document Images" on the detail page to read every annual report back to formation.
- Search fictitious names separately in Sunbiz; Florida registers DBAs at the state level, not with counties.
Open the official Florida search
Florida SOS, corporation and LLC search
Florida Secretary of State Business Search
The Florida Secretary of State business search is run by the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations through its Sunbiz search. Related queries such as "Florida SOS business search" reach the same free database. Search by name first, then reopen the record by its document number so you are reading one exact entity. The step-by-step instructions above walk through the screens.
Florida Entity Search
An entity search of the Florida business registry returns every registered type at once: domestic and foreign LLCs, corporations, partnerships and nonprofits. Read the status first, then the formation date and the registered agent. Because Florida expects an annual report yearly, a lapsed filing usually shows up as a status change before the entity is dissolved.
Florida Corporation Search
A corporation search uses the same index as LLCs, so filter by entity type if the name is common. Searches typed as "find a company in Florida" land here too. The record shows whether it is a for-profit corporation or a nonprofit, and the entity types guide explains how each one appears. Corporations are formed by filing articles of incorporation, so the formation date on the record is the date those articles took effect.
Florida LLC Search
Run the Florida LLC search with the exact name, then note the document number. Forming a Florida LLC costs $125 and the annual report is $138.75. Whether members appear depends on the filings; our LLC lookup guide covers what the state shows, and the business owner lookup covers what it does not. A state record never shows an EIN; use the EIN lookup for that.
Florida Business Name Search
A Florida business name search shows names already on file, not names the state will accept. Florida does not offer a name reservation, so the name is only secure once the formation filing is accepted. The name claim guide lists the checks to run before you file, including trademarks and DBA names. Florida registers fictitious names with the Division of Corporations, so a fictitious name search runs on Sunbiz alongside the entity search.
Sunbiz Search
Sunbiz.org is the website of the Florida Division of Corporations, so a Sunbiz search and a Florida Secretary of State business search are the same lookup. Most Sunbiz records list officers or managers and link every filed annual report as a free image. For other checks, see the business verification checklist.
Florida Tax ID Lookup
Sunbiz shows the FEI/EIN number on many Florida records and lets you search by it, which few state business searches do. In most other states the federal number is not on the state record, and the EIN lookup explains which EINs are public.
Sunbiz is one of the most open registries in the U.S.
Florida's Division of Corporations publishes more than most states will sell: officers or managers, principal and mailing addresses, the registered agent and a scanned image of every annual report back to formation, all free. You can search by name, officer or agent, document number, ZIP code and even FEI/EIN, which almost no other state allows. Florida also gives away its full register as bulk files over public SFTP.
Florida filing facts
| Record number | Document number |
|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $125. $100 Articles of Organization plus $25 registered agent designation. |
| Recurring filing | Annual report, $138.75, yearly |
| Due | Between January 1 and May 1. A $400 late fee applies after May 1. |
| Name reservation | Not offered |
| Agency phone | 850-245-6052 |
What a Florida LLC costs in its first three years
First recurring filing assumed in year 2; state charges only.
| Year | Formation | Recurring filing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $125 | $0 | $125 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $138.75 | $138.75 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $138.75 | $138.75 |
| Three-year state total | $402.50 | ||
The May 1 deadline and the $400 fee
Every Florida LLC and corporation files an annual report between January 1 and May 1. The LLC fee is $138.75; file on May 2 and a $400 late fee is added, and the Division will not waive it. Entities that still have not filed by September are administratively dissolved. Florida does not offer name reservations, so the only way to secure a name is to file. Trade names are registered with the state, not counties, which makes Sunbiz the single place to trace a brand to its owner; see DBA. UCC liens are kept elsewhere, by the Florida Secured Transaction Registry, as explained in the UCC lien search guide.
Tracing a Florida company in minutes
Start with the name search, then open Document Images and read the most recent annual report: it lists the officers or managers and the principal address. Search the officer's name to find every other Florida company they manage. Check fictitious names for any brand the company uses. Because Florida also lets you search by FEI/EIN, you can confirm that the EIN on an invoice belongs to the same company that signed your contract.
How Florida compares with its neighbors
| State | LLC filing | Yearly upkeep | Report cycle | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $125 | $138.75 | Yearly | None |
| Georgia | $100 | $50 | Yearly | $25 |
| Alabama | $200 | $0 | Yearly | $28 |
| South Carolina | $110 | $0 | None | $25 |
Before you rely on a Florida result
- The $400 late fee for LLC and corporation annual reports filed after May 1 cannot be waived.
- Entities missing the third Friday of September deadline are administratively dissolved or revoked.
- UCC liens are not on Sunbiz. Florida keeps them in the separate Florida Secured Transaction Registry.
Bulk Florida business data
Free full register. Format: Fixed-width TXT via SFTP, daily and quarterly. Public SFTP credentials are on the page. Quarterly files hold all active entities; daily files hold new filings. Official source
Searching beyond Florida
Registries next to Florida: Georgia business search, Alabama business search, South Carolina business search.
Florida business search questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Florida?
The state filing fee is $125. $100 Articles of Organization plus $25 registered agent designation. Keeping the LLC on file then averages $138.75 a year in state fees.
When is the Florida annual report due?
Florida calls it the annual report. It costs $138.75, it is filed yearly, and it is due between January 1 and May 1. A $400 late fee applies after May 1.
Can I reserve a business name in Florida?
No. Florida does not offer name reservations, so the name is only secured when the formation filing is accepted.
Can I reserve a business name in Florida?
No. Florida does not offer name reservations. A name is secured only when the Division of Corporations accepts your formation filing.
Is the Florida business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the Sunbiz search costs nothing. The Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations charges only for certified copies and certificates of good standing.
Who keeps business records in Florida?
The Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. Its business line is 850-245-6052, and its free search is the Sunbiz search.
What number identifies a business in Florida?
Florida assigns each entity a document number. It is different from the federal EIN and from the number the same company holds in any other state, and searching by it returns exactly one record.
Can I download a list of all Florida businesses?
Yes. Florida publishes its full business register free (Fixed-width TXT via SFTP, daily and quarterly). Public SFTP credentials are on the page. Quarterly files hold all active entities; daily files hold new filings.
Sources
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