Find Florida LLC, Corporation & Fictitious Name Records
Florida business records are maintained by the Department of State, Division of Corporations through Sunbiz. The public search covers corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, trademarks and several related record types.
For most users, the best workflow is simple: search the entity name, open the correct Florida record, save the document number and then use annual-report, certificate or filing services only if needed.
Fast answer: use Sunbiz’s official Search by Entity Name. You can also search by officer or registered agent, FEI/EIN, document number, ZIP code or street address.
Best identifier: once you find the correct entity, save its Florida document number. It is safer than repeatedly relying on a similar business name.
Current 2026 annual-report issue: the May 1, 2026 deadline has passed. Covered profit corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships and LLLPs filing after that deadline face the statutory $400 late fee.
How to Search a Florida Business on Sunbiz
Searching by entity name is the simplest starting point when you know the LLC, corporation or other registered business name.
- Open the official Sunbiz Entity Name Search.
- Enter the strongest distinctive words from the business name.
- Review the returned names, Florida document numbers and statuses.
- Open the result that matches the business you are researching.
- Confirm the legal name, document number, entity type, status, addresses, registered agent and officer/manager information shown.
- Review filing history and document images if you need more detail.
- Save the document number before filing an annual report, ordering a certificate or contacting the Division.
Sunbiz Search Options Most Users Miss
Florida provides several search routes. Use the one that matches the information you already have.
| Search method | Use it when | Official path |
|---|---|---|
| Entity Name | You know all or part of the LLC, corporation, limited partnership or trademark name. | Search by entity name |
| Officer / Registered Agent | You know a person’s or agent’s name but not the exact business name. | Search officer or agent |
| Document Number | You already have the Florida filing number from a record, notice or previous Sunbiz search. | Search document number |
| FEI / EIN | You already know the exact federal employer identification number shown in the public record. | Search FEI/EIN |
| ZIP Code / Street Address | The address is your strongest identifying clue. | Use the additional search options displayed on the official Sunbiz search pages. |
What to Check on a Florida Business Record
Confirm the entity
- Exact legal name
- Florida document number
- Entity type
- Current status
- Date filed or effective date
- State or country of formation when applicable
Review public filing details
- Principal and mailing addresses
- Registered-agent name and Florida address
- Officer, director, manager or authorized-person information shown
- Annual-report history
- Filed document images
Florida Annual Report Deadline, Late Fee & Filing Steps
Florida annual reports are used to update or confirm the information already on the Division of Corporations record. They are not tax returns.
2026 deadline
Covered profit corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships and limited liability limited partnerships had until 11:59 p.m. EST on May 1, 2026 before the $400 late fee applied.
Nonprofit corporations must file an annual report, but they are not subject to that $400 late fee.
What the annual report can update
- Officer, director, manager or authorized-member names and addresses
- Registered agent and registered office
- Principal and mailing addresses
- Federal employer identification number
The annual report does not change the legal business name.
| Entity | Regular annual-report fee | After May 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Corporation | $150 | $550 total |
| Limited Liability Company | $138.75 | $538.75 total |
| Nonprofit Corporation | $61.25 | No $400 statutory late fee |
Open the official Florida Annual Report service.
- Have the Florida document number ready.
- Review the existing Sunbiz record before making changes.
- Gather current addresses, officer/manager details and registered-agent information.
- Confirm the registered agent’s acceptance if you are changing the agent.
- Use a valid payment method.
- Keep the filing confirmation and payment receipt after submission.
Florida Certificate of Status & Certified Copies
A Florida Certificate of Status is the document commonly requested when a bank, lender, vendor, marketplace or government agency wants official proof of the entity’s status.
| Service | LLC fee | Corporation fee |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Status | $5 | $8.75 |
| Certified Copy | $30 | $8.75 base fee under the corporate fee schedule; in-person page rules may apply |
Important Florida Business Fees
The entity search itself is a public lookup. Fees apply when you file, amend, reinstate or order official documents.
| Service | Current listed fee | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Sunbiz business search | Public lookup | Entity, officer, agent, document number, FEI/EIN, address and status research. |
| Florida LLC annual report | $138.75 | Annual LLC record maintenance. |
| Florida profit corporation annual report | $150 | Annual corporate record maintenance. |
| Annual-report late fee | $400 | Added after May 1 for covered profit corporations, LLCs, LPs and LLLPs. |
| LLC Certificate of Status | $5 | Official LLC status proof. |
| Corporation Certificate of Status | $8.75 | Official corporate status proof. |
| LLC reinstatement | $100 + each annual report fee due | Reactivating an eligible inactive LLC. |
| Profit corporation reinstatement | $600 + each annual report fee due | Reactivating an eligible profit corporation. |
| Fictitious name registration or renewal | $50 | Registering or renewing a Florida DBA / fictitious name. |
Open the official Sunbiz fee schedules.
- Select the correct entity category.
- Find the exact filing or certificate you need.
- Check optional certificate or certified-copy charges separately.
- Confirm the live total immediately before submitting payment.
Florida Fictitious Name Search & Renewal
Florida uses the term fictitious name for a DBA or business name that differs from the legal name of the person or entity operating the business.
What a fictitious-name record shows
- 12-digit registration/document number
- Status
- Filing and expiration dates
- Current owner information
- County
- Events such as renewals, cancellations and owner changes
Renewal rules
A registration or renewal is valid for five years and expires December 31 of the final year.
If the registration expires, Florida says it cannot be renewed or reinstated; a new fictitious-name registration must be filed.
Open Florida fictitious-name registration guidance.
- Confirm whether you actually need a fictitious name rather than a new legal entity.
- Search the existing name and owner information.
- Have the registration number ready for a renewal.
- Review the current owner information carefully.
- Remember that a new name cannot simply be substituted through the renewal process.
Florida Registered-Agent Requirements
A Florida registered agent is the individual or legal entity designated to accept service of process for the business.
Address requirement
The registered agent must have a physical street address in Florida. Do not use a P.O. Box as the registered-agent address.
Who can serve
An active Florida business entity may serve as registered agent for another entity, but a business cannot serve as its own registered agent.
An individual or principal associated with the business may serve as the agent.
Review Sunbiz annual-report and registered-agent instructions.
If a Florida Business Is Inactive or Administratively Dissolved
Florida entities that fail to file required annual reports can become administratively dissolved or revoked. Older records may use wording such as “involuntarily dissolved” or “revoked for annual report.”
- Open the existing Sunbiz entity record.
- Confirm its document number and current status.
- Review annual-report history and the years that may be outstanding.
- Check whether reinstatement is available.
- Use the official reinstatement process for the existing entity when appropriate.
Open Florida reinstatement services.
Remember That Sunbiz Filings Are Public Records
Information submitted through annual reports, fictitious-name filings and other Division of Corporations filings can become part of the public record and may be visible online.
Florida also warns that email addresses sent to state agencies can be public records. If you do not want an email address released in response to a public-records request, the Department advises contacting the office by phone or in writing instead.
Florida Sunbiz Search Troubleshooting
| Problem | Best next step |
|---|---|
| No business appears by name | Remove LLC, Inc., punctuation and extra words, then search the strongest unique portion of the name. |
| Many similar names appear | Compare document numbers, status, entity type, addresses and registered-agent information. |
| You know only a person’s name | Use the Officer/Registered Agent search instead of guessing the entity name. |
| Document number returns Record Not Found | Confirm that zeroes are entered as “0,” not the letter “O,” then retry or search by entity name. |
| Annual report is late | Use the official annual-report filing service and expect the $400 late fee for covered entity types after May 1. |
| Entity is inactive | Review the existing record and reinstatement instructions before creating a duplicate entity. |
| Need proof for a bank or lender | Ask whether a Certificate of Status or certified copy is required, then order only that document. |
Florida Division of Corporations Contact Information
General Sunbiz help
Phone: 850-245-6000
Email: CorpHelp@dos.fl.gov
Use for general Division of Corporations questions.
Annual reports & reinstatements
Phone: 850-245-6059
Use for corporation, LLC and other annual-report or reinstatement questions.
Certificates & copies
Phone: 850-245-6053
Use for certification, copies, apostilles and related record requests.
Physical / courier address
Florida Department of State
Division of Corporations
The Centre of Tallahassee
2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810
Tallahassee, FL 32303
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
General mailing address
Florida Department of State
Division of Corporations
P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
Use the specific address shown on the current filing instructions when mailing checks, annual-report vouchers or specialized documents.
Open the official Sunbiz phone, email and address directory.
- Search the entity first.
- Save the Florida document number.
- Identify whether the problem concerns a filing, annual report, reinstatement, certificate, copy or technical issue.
- Use the specific telephone number listed for that service.
Official Florida Sunbiz Resources
Main public lookup for Florida corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships and trademarks.
Use when a person or registered agent is the strongest clue.
Exact-record lookup when you already have the Florida document number.
Official annual-report service, current deadline information and filing instructions.
Use for eligible entities that need to reactivate their Florida record.
Current corporation, LLC, partnership, fictitious-name and trademark fees.
Florida DBA registration rules, fees, duration and public-record information.
Phone numbers, emails, physical address, mailing addresses and office hours.
Florida Business Entity Search FAQ
1. Is the Florida Sunbiz business entity search free?
Yes. Sunbiz provides public searches for Florida business records without a lookup fee. Fees apply when you file reports, reinstate an entity, register a fictitious name or order paid certificates and certified copies.
2. Where do I search for a Florida LLC or corporation?
Use the Florida Division of Corporations Sunbiz Search by Entity Name page. Enter the business name, review matching records and open the correct entity.
3. Can I search Sunbiz by officer or registered agent?
Yes. Sunbiz has a separate Officer/Registered Agent search. Partial individual names are accepted, and the page instructs users to enter individual names as last name, first name and middle initial.
4. What is a Florida document number?
It is the filing identifier assigned by the Division of Corporations to the record. Save it after finding the correct entity because it is useful for exact searches, annual reports, certificates and customer-service questions.
5. When was the 2026 Florida annual report due?
Covered profit corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships and LLLPs had until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1, 2026 before the statutory $400 late fee applied.
6. How much is a Florida LLC annual report?
The current LLC annual-report fee is $138.75. An LLC annual report received after May 1 is listed at $538.75, which includes the $400 late fee.
7. How much is a Florida profit corporation annual report?
The current profit-corporation annual-report fee is $150. A profit annual report received after May 1 is listed at $550, including the $400 late fee.
8. How much is a Florida Certificate of Status?
The current Sunbiz fee schedules list a Certificate of Status at $5 for an LLC and $8.75 for a corporation. Fictitious-name Certificates of Status are listed at $10.
9. How long does a Florida fictitious name registration last?
A Florida fictitious-name registration or renewal is valid for five years and expires on December 31 of the final year. An expired fictitious name cannot be renewed or reinstated; a new registration must be filed.
10. Does a Sunbiz record prove a Florida business is licensed or trustworthy?
No. Sunbiz primarily shows Division of Corporations filing information. Professional licenses, permits, taxes, insurance, complaints and other regulatory matters may require separate checks with the responsible Florida agency.