Business License in Florida: Requirements & Cost (2026)

Q: Does Florida require a general business license?

No. Florida has no single, general statewide business license that every business must hold. Instead, requirements depend on what you sell and where you operate: a state sales tax registration if you sell taxable goods, a local business tax receipt from your city or county under Chapter 205, and a professional license if your occupation is regulated.

Q: What is a local business tax receipt in Florida?

A local business tax receipt, formerly called an occupational license, is issued by a Florida county or municipality under Chapter 205 of the Florida Statutes and lets you operate within that jurisdiction. Businesses in an incorporated city may need both a city and a county receipt. Fees are set locally and vary by location and business type.

Q: Do I need to register for Florida sales tax?

If your business sells or rents taxable goods or services in Florida, you must register with the Florida Department of Revenue for a Certificate of Registration using Form DR-1 before making sales. There is no fee to register. The state sales tax rate is 6%, plus any county discretionary sales surtax.

Q: What agency issues professional licenses in Florida?

Most professional and occupational licenses are issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), which covers fields like contractors, cosmetologists, and real estate. Agriculture-related businesses are regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and health professions by the Department of Health.

Q: How much does a Florida business license cost?

There is no single fee because there is no single license. Registering for Florida sales tax is free. Local business tax receipt fees are set by each city and county and vary widely. Professional license fees depend on the profession and licensing board. Registering a fictitious name (DBA) with the state costs $50.

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

Florida has no general statewide business license. Instead, most businesses register for a sales tax Certificate of Registration (Form DR-1, free) with the Florida Department of Revenue, obtain a local business tax receipt from their city or county under Chapter 205 of the Florida Statutes, and secure any professional license their occupation requires.

Quick Answer

General state license?: No - Florida has no single statewide business license
Sales tax: Register with the Dept. of Revenue (Form DR-1); free; 6% state rate + county surtax
Local license: Business tax receipt from city/county (Florida Statutes Ch. 205)
Professional license: DBPR, FDACS, or Dept. of Health, depending on the field
Fictitious name (DBA): $50 with the Division of Corporations (Ch. 865.09)
EIN: Free from the IRS

Florida Has No General Business License

Unlike a handful of states, Florida does not issue one universal "business license" that every company must hold to operate. This surprises many new owners who expect a single permit. Instead, whether - and what - you need to register depends on three questions: Do you sell taxable goods or services? Where (which city and county) do you operate? And is your occupation regulated? Getting compliant means answering each of those separately. This guide walks through the state sales tax registration, the local business tax receipt, professional licensing, and the fictitious name registration. For the national picture, see business licenses, and for setting up the entity itself, see how to form an LLC in Florida.

Florida Sales Tax Registration (Certificate of Registration)

The closest thing to a "license to sell" in Florida is the sales tax Certificate of Registration. If your business sells, rents, or leases taxable goods or provides taxable services in Florida, you must register with the Florida Department of Revenue before you begin making sales. You register by filing Form DR-1 (Florida Business Tax Application), online or on paper, and there is no fee to register. After registering, the Department issues an Annual Resale Certificate that lets you buy inventory for resale tax-free.

Florida's state sales tax rate is 6%. Counties may levy an additional discretionary sales surtax on top of that, so the combined rate varies by county. You collect the tax from customers and remit it to the Department of Revenue on a filing frequency (monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual) assigned based on your collections. This registration is separate from any local license and from federal income tax.

Local Business Tax Receipt (Chapter 205)

Most Florida cities and counties require a local business tax receipt - formerly called an "occupational license" - before you do business within their boundaries. The authority comes from Chapter 205 of the Florida Statutes, which lets local governments impose a business tax for the privilege of engaging in business. If your business is located inside an incorporated municipality, you may need both a city receipt and a county receipt. Fees are set by each local government and vary by jurisdiction and type of business, so check with your city hall and county tax collector. The receipt is typically renewed annually.

Professional and Occupational Licenses

Many occupations require a state-issued professional license in addition to the tax registrations above. The main licensing agencies are:

Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) - contractors, real estate agents and brokers, cosmetologists, restaurants and hotels, and many other fields.
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) - food establishments, dealers in agricultural products, pest control, private investigators, and telemarketers.
Department of Health - physicians, nurses, and other health professions.

If your field is regulated, you generally cannot legally operate without the license, and fees depend on the profession and licensing board. Check your specific occupation with the relevant agency before opening.

Fictitious Name (DBA) Registration

If you do business under a name other than your legal name or your LLC's registered name, Florida law generally requires you to register that fictitious name (DBA) with the Division of Corporations under Section 865.09 of the Florida Statutes. The registration fee is $50, and the law requires you to advertise the name at least once in a newspaper in the county where your principal place of business is located. A fictitious name registration is not a business license - it simply lets you legally operate under a trade name.

Florida Business License Costs (2026)

Because there is no single license, there is no single fee. The table summarizes the common registrations and where their fees are set. Confirm local and professional amounts with the issuing authority, as those vary and change.

Registration	Agency	Fee (2026)
Sales tax Certificate of Registration (Form DR-1)	Dept. of Revenue	$0 (free)
Local business tax receipt	City / county	Set locally (varies)
Professional / occupational license	DBPR / FDACS / DOH	Varies by profession
Fictitious name (DBA) registration	Division of Corporations	$50
Federal EIN	IRS	$0 (free)

EIN and Federal Registration

Separate from state licensing, most Florida businesses need a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), issued free by the IRS. You need an EIN to hire employees, open a business bank account, and file most federal returns. Getting an EIN is not a license, but it is a near-universal step for a registered business. See how to get an EIN for an LLC and what is an EIN for detail.

Consequences of Operating Without the Right Registrations

Skipping the registrations that do apply to your business carries real risk. Collecting or failing to collect Florida sales tax without a valid Certificate of Registration can expose you to back taxes, penalties, and interest assessed by the Department of Revenue, and operating a taxable business without registering is itself a violation. Operating within a city or county without the required local business tax receipt can bring fines and, in some jurisdictions, an order to stop operating until you comply. Practicing a regulated profession without the required state license - for example, contracting or cosmetology - can result in administrative penalties and, for some fields, criminal charges for unlicensed activity. Because the exact penalties are set by each agency and local government, the safe approach is to confirm every applicable requirement before you open, then keep each registration current. When you close the business, cancel your sales tax account and let local receipts lapse so you are not billed for a business you no longer run.

Step-by-Step Compliance Checklist

Form your entity (or register your DBA) - see forming a Florida LLC.
Get an EIN from the IRS if you need one.
Register for sales tax with the Department of Revenue (Form DR-1) if you sell taxable goods or services.
Obtain your local business tax receipt(s) from your city and/or county.
Get any professional license your occupation requires from DBPR, FDACS, or the Department of Health.
Renew local receipts and professional licenses on their annual schedules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Florida require a general business license?

No. Florida has no single statewide business license. Requirements depend on what you sell and where you operate: sales tax registration, a local business tax receipt, and any professional license your occupation requires.

What is a local business tax receipt in Florida?

It is the license a city or county issues under Chapter 205 of the Florida Statutes to let you operate there. Businesses in an incorporated city may need both a city and a county receipt; fees are set locally.

Do I need to register for Florida sales tax?

Yes, if you sell or rent taxable goods or services in Florida. Register with the Department of Revenue using Form DR-1 before making sales. There is no fee, and the state rate is 6% plus county surtax.

What agency issues professional licenses in Florida?

Most are issued by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Agriculture fields are handled by FDACS and health professions by the Department of Health.

How much does a Florida business license cost?

There is no single fee. Sales tax registration is free, local business tax receipt fees vary by jurisdiction, professional license fees vary by board, and a fictitious name (DBA) registration costs $50.

Sources

Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations - Sunbiz (fictitious name and entity filings).
Florida Department of State - Fictitious Name Registration ($50 fee; advertising requirement).
Florida Statutes - Chapter 205, Local Business Taxes (local business tax receipt).
Florida Statutes - Chapter 212, Tax on Sales, Use, and Other Transactions (6% sales tax; registration).
Florida Statutes - Section 865.09, Fictitious Name Act.
Florida Statutes - Chapter 559, Regulation of Trade, Commerce, Investments (DBPR-regulated activities).
Florida Legislature - Florida Statutes § 212 (sales tax, official text).
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Business Services and Licensing.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Business Licensing overview.
IRS - Employer Identification Numbers (EIN) (free federal EIN).
IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (federal tax registration).
Cornell LII - Business license (Wex) (general definition).

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney. Licensing rules and local fees change; verify current requirements with the Florida Department of Revenue, your city and county, and the relevant licensing board before acting.