Florida Sunbiz (Sunbiz.org) is the website of the Florida Division of Corporations, and it’s where nearly every state-level filing for a Florida business happens: forming an LLC or corporation, filing the annual report, changing your registered agent, and looking up other companies. If you own a Florida business, you’ll be back on it at least once a year.
What is Florida Sunbiz?
Sunbiz (officially dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz) is the online portal for the Florida Division of Corporations, which is part of the Florida Department of State. It’s Florida’s official business registry. All public business records are kept there and can be viewed there.
On Sunbiz you can look up any registered Florida business, check whether a name is available, form an LLC or corporation, file annual reports, change your registered agent, file amendments, dissolve a business, and order certified documents and certificates of status. It also handles Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) financing statements, both filing and searching.
How do you look up a business on Sunbiz?
- Go to Sunbiz.org.
- Click “Search Records” in the menu at the top.
- Choose a search type: Entity Name (business name), Officer/Registered Agent (a person’s name), Document Number (the filing number), or FEI/EIN Number (federal tax ID).
- Enter your search and click “Search.”
- Click a business name to open the full record.
Each record shows these fields:
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Document Number | Unique identifier for the business |
| FEI/EIN Number | Federal tax ID (if provided) |
| Date Filed | Original formation date |
| State | State of formation (FL for Florida entities) |
| Status | Active, Inactive, or Dissolved |
| Principal Address | Main business address |
| Mailing Address | Where correspondence is sent |
| Registered Agent | Person or company accepting legal documents |
| Authorized Person(s) | Members, managers, officers, directors |
At the bottom of the record are links to scanned images of the actual filed documents: the Articles of Organization or Incorporation, annual reports, amendments and anything else on file.
How do you check if a business name is available?
Use the same “Search Records” page and search by entity name. Leave off “LLC” or “Inc.” when you type it. The system looks for similar names, not just exact matches.
If nothing comes back, your name is likely available. If similar names show up, look at them closely, because Florida requires your name to be distinguishable from existing ones, not completely unique. Small differences can be enough. “Tampa Bay Construction LLC” would be available next to an existing “Tampa Construction LLC.” Changing only the entity type isn’t: “ABC Company LLC” isn’t available if “ABC Company Inc.” already exists.
Your LLC name also has to include “LLC,” “L.L.C.” or “Limited Liability Company,” can’t use restricted words like Bank, Insurance or University without approval, and can’t be deceptively similar to a government agency.
When in doubt, make the name more distinctive.
How do you form an LLC on Sunbiz?
Start at Sunbiz.org, click “Start a Business” or “E-Filing,” select “Florida Limited Liability Company,” and click “File Online.”
The form asks for:
- The LLC’s full legal name, including “LLC” (you can also add a fictitious name, or DBA)
- A principal place of business, which doesn’t have to be in Florida
- A mailing address, which can match the principal address and can be a P.O. box
- A registered agent, either an individual or a business entity, with a Florida street address (no P.O. boxes) where someone is available during business hours
- At least one authorized person or member, with name, address and title
The filing fee is $125 for standard processing, paid by credit card. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee if you need approval faster. Review everything, submit, and save the confirmation. You’ll get an email when the LLC is approved, usually within 2-3 business days.
How do you file the annual report on Sunbiz?
Florida LLCs have to file an annual report every year by May 1.
- Find your LLC through the entity search and open its record, then click “File Annual Report.” You can also go to “E-Filing,” choose “Annual Report,” and enter your document number.
- The form loads with your current information. Check the principal address, mailing address, registered agent and address, and officers or members, and update anything that’s changed.
- Pay the $138.75 fee. After May 1, there’s a $400 late fee on top.
- Submit and save your confirmation. The filing is processed immediately.
Our advice: set a calendar reminder for April 15 at the latest. That leaves two weeks before the May 1 deadline and the $400 late fee. Earlier is better, since the site can slow down close to the deadline.
How do you change your registered agent on Sunbiz?
Find your LLC on Sunbiz and click “File Annual Report/Change Registered Agent,” or go through E-Filing to Registered Agent Change. Enter the new agent’s name and Florida street address, then pay and submit. A registered agent change on its own costs $25. It’s free if you make it as part of your annual report.
How do you order a certificate of status or certified copies?
A Certificate of Status (also called a Certificate of Good Standing) proves your LLC is active and compliant. Go to “Order Documents,” search for your business, select “Certificate of Status,” and pay $8.75 for an electronic copy or $17.50 for a mailed paper copy.
For certified copies of your Articles of Organization or other filings, go to “Order Documents,” select “Certified Copy,” pick the document, and pay $52.50 for certification plus a per-page fee.
How much do Sunbiz filings cost?
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Form LLC (Articles of Organization) | $125 |
| Form Corporation | $70 |
| Annual Report (LLC) | $138.75 |
| Annual Report (Corporation) | $150 |
| Late Fee (after May 1) | $400 |
| Registered Agent Change | $25 |
| Amendment | $25 |
| Name Reservation | $25 |
| Certificate of Status (electronic) | $8.75 |
| Certificate of Status (mailed) | $17.50 |
| Certified Copy | $52.50 + per page |
| Dissolution | $25 |
A few habits that save trouble
Write down your document number. It looks like L21000123456, and it’s the fastest way to pull up your business for annual reports and other filings.
File online. Online filings are processed in 2-3 days, mail filings in 5-7 days or longer, and the fees are the same. There’s no reason to mail anything you can file online.
Make an account if you file often. It isn’t required, but it lets you see your filing history and get email confirmations.
What if Sunbiz isn’t working?
“Name Not Available.” Make the name more clearly different, for example by adding a place like Tampa Bay or Florida. Remember to check for corporations with similar names, not just LLCs.
You can’t find your business. Search by document number instead, check the spelling exactly as registered, and drop “LLC” or “Inc.” from the search.
Your payment won’t go through. Try another credit card, clear your browser’s cache and cookies, or switch browsers.
The annual report won’t load. This tends to happen near the May 1 deadline when traffic is heavy. Try early morning or late evening, or better, file before April and skip the rush.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sunbiz a government website?
Yes. Sunbiz.org is run by the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. It’s the official and only place to file Florida business documents.
Do I have to use Sunbiz to form an LLC?
You can file by mail, but Sunbiz is faster and easier. Third-party formation services also file through Sunbiz on your behalf.
Is information on Sunbiz public?
Yes. Business names, addresses, registered agent information and officer names are public record, and anyone can search them.
How long are records kept on Sunbiz?
Permanently, even for dissolved businesses. Historical filings stay searchable and viewable.
Rather not deal with the site at all?
Bookmark Sunbiz.org and you can handle most filings yourself. If you’d rather hand them off, IncCraft handles all your Florida filings, from formation to the yearly annual report.