Your Florida Corporation name can identify the type of products and services your business will provide; or it may be the name of the founder; or it can be a combination of the two or something else.

In any case, the Florida Corporation name that you choose must be distinguishable from the name of any other registered Florida Corporation or other business entity and the name must also be different from any reserved names on record with the state of Florida.  Your Florida Corporation name must not imply that it was formed for a purpose other than that stated in your Articles of Incorporation; and your Florida Corporation name must not be a name that is likely to mislead the public.

Florida state law restricts the use of certain words and phrases in Corporation names.  The name of a Florida Corporation also must include the word "Corporation" or "Incorporated" or an abbreviation of one of these words.  If you choose us to help you for a new Florida Corporation we will make sure that the name you have chose complies with all Florida requirements.

It's important to choose a good name for your Florida Corporation because if you want to change it after you incorporate you will have to file amended Articles of Incorporation with the Florida Secretary of State (and pay a fee).

Every Florida Corporation must have an address that is physically located in the state of Florida.  This address is "registered" with the Florida Secretary of State.  The Registered Address is where official and legal correspondence can be delivered.

The individual or company that is registered with the state of Florida to receive all correspondence on behalf of the Florida Corporation is called a "Registered Agent".  You may act as your own Registered Agent, however, many Florida Corporations hire a Registered Agent because they don't have a physical address within the state of Florida or to provide a distinct level of privacy.

All Florida Corporations are required to have a Board of Directors.  Directors are the people who will set policies for your Florida Corporation and manage the business and its resources.  In the majority of small corporations directors are the owners. The Articles of Incorporation or Corporate Bylaws may define specific qualifications for Directors. 

The Board of Directors is responsible for creating rules, approving budgets and distributing profits to shareholders. One of the most important duties of the Board of Directors is electing Officers for your Florida Corporation.  The same person may be a Director and an Officer at the same time.  Directors need not be residents of the state of Florida or shareholders of the Florida Corporation unless the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws require it.

Normally Directors for your Florida Corporation are elected for a term of one year.  Elections are held at the annual meeting of Shareholders.  The Directors serve until the next annual Shareholders meeting.

The Board of Directors elects Officers for your Florida Corporation in accordance with the Corporate Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation.  Officers serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors of the Florida Corporation.  Officers handle the day to day operation of the Florida Corporation.

Unless specifically prohibited by the Corporate Bylaws or Articles of Incorporation, in a Florida Corporation the same person may hold more than one Corporate Office at the same time.  However, there are certain legal affairs in which the same person cannot act in more than one capacity.

The number and type of Officers of a Florida Corporation are defined in the Corporate Bylaws.  Any Officer may appoint one or more Officers or Assistant Officers if authorized by the Bylaws or the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may remove any Officer of the Florida Corporation at any time with or without cause.  An Officer may resign at any time by delivering notice to the Florida Corporation. 

One Officer - usually the Secretary - is given responsibility for preparing Minutes of Directors and Shareholders meetings and for authenticating records for the Florida Corporation. 

The Florida Corporate Income Tax Rate is 5.5%.   You may form an S Corporation in Florida.  S Corporations may "pass through" all corporate profits to the shareholders (owners) who then pay tax at their applicable personal rate.  S Corporations do not pay any Florida Corporate Income Tax.

In order to form a Corporation in Florida you must file Articles of Incorporation with the Florida Secretary of State.  The Articles of Incorporation must include certain specific information about your Florida business. If the Articles do not conform exactly to state of Florida requirements they will be rejected.  You may subsequently amend the Articles of Incorporation for your Florida Corporation but you will have to pay a fee to the state of Florida in order to make the changes official.

A Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, is used by the IRS to identify a business entity.  An FEIN is like a Social Security Number for your Florida Corporation.  All Florida Corporations are required to have an FEIN.

Corporate stock is evidence of ownership of a Florida Corporation.  When you form your Florida Corporation, you will need to determine what type of stock and the number of shares of each type that you want to authorize.  You do not have to sell the number of shares that are authorized.  Many small Florida Corporations hold 100% of the shares.

Stockholders in a Florida Corporation are entitled to voting rights or dividends of the Corporate profits or both.  Whoever owns over 50% of the stock of the Florida Corporation is able to make all Corporate business decisions.  Florida Corporations usually hold at least 51% of the corporate stock in order to retain control of the Florida Corporation.

The Board of Directors holds an initial meeting to elect Officers, authorize issuance of stock and adopt the Corporate Bylaws.  Bylaws are the internal rules of your Florida Corporation.  They are adopted by the Board of Directors and vary widely from Corporation to Corporation.  Commonly bylaws include the number of seats on the board of directors; how Directors are elected; how meetings of Directors and Shareholders are to be conducted; what Officers the Florida Corporation will have and a description of each of their duties. 

As your company grows over time, you may amend your bylaws as necessary.  Bylaws generally cannot be amended by the Board of Directors unilaterally.  A vote by the majority of Stockholders of the Florida Corporation is usually required to amend the Corporate Bylaws.  Bylaws may include any rules for managing the business and conducting corporate affairs.  Almost anything may be written into the Bylaws, however, the Bylaws must not be in violation of any federal or Florida law or the Florida Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.  A copy of the Corporate Bylaws should be maintained at the Corporation's principal Florida office.

Note that forming a Florida Corporation doesn't take the place of obtaining a business license, tax registration certificate, or other required business permits.  A Florida Corporation merely creates an ownership structure that limits the owners' personal liability.  You may still need to take care of getting set up to do business with your local government.

Depending on the nature of the business and the location of your Florida Corporation you may need to get one or more city business licenses or permits.  The business licenses or permits that are required for your Florida Corporation vary depending on your business activities and the specific locations within the state of Florida in which you want to conduct business.

If your Florida Corporation will be selling products in Florida you may be required to obtain a Reseller's Permit from the appropriate Florida state agency.  If your Florida Corporation will be selling products in Florida you will also be responsible for all applicable local and state of Florida sales taxes if there are any.

Every Florida Corporation must hold corporate and shareholder meetings, at least annually, and must keep minutes of each meeting on file.  A copy of the minutes is evidence that the meetings took place and includes all resolutions that were adopted.  The minutes of each meetings must be open for inspection by any Shareholder or Director.  This meeting requirement is often overlooked and comes into play when the Florida Corporation is challenged for any reason.  Keeping proper meeting minutes and documenting resolutions made and approved by the Directors is a formality that could save your Florida Corporation a lot of potential trouble.

All Florida Corporations must file an Annual Report EACH year with the FL Secretary of State.

The Initial Florida Corporation Annual Report is due in the year following the date when the Florida Corporation was in initially approved by the Florida Secretary of State.

Every Florida Corporation is required to file an Annual Report with the Florida Secretary of State EACH year.

The Florida Corporation Annual Report is due at the Florida Secretary of State between January 1 and May 1 EACH year.

A FL Corporation must file its Annual Report with the FL Secretary of State by May 1. The Florida Secretary of State imposes a $400 late fee, in addition to the regular Corporation Annual Report fee, if a Florida Corporation files its Annual Report after May 1.

If a Florida Corporation does not file its Corporation Annual Report by the 3rd Friday of September in the year in which the Annual Report is due then the Florida Secretary of State will administratively dissolve the Florida Corporation.

If a Florida Corporation is administratively dissolved by the Florida Secretary of State then that FL Corporation must pay reinstatement in order costs to get the Florida Corporation back into Good Standing.