If you’re looking to start a new LLC in Florida, there are several steps to get it going. Among them is filing Articles of Organization with the state.
Before you file, be sure to check that your desired business name is available for use in the state. You can do this by doing a preliminary search on the Division of Corporations’ business name registry.
Articles of Organization
Articles of organization are a key document in forming a business entity. They detail your company’s name, address and other basic information that is required for government recognition.
These documents are necessary for registering your LLC in most states, including Florida. However, this process can be lengthy and confusing, so it’s a good idea to work with a business attorney beforehand to ensure you complete all documents accurately.
Your articles of organization tell your state a lot about how your business will operate, which is why it’s so important to complete them correctly. They’re also important for avoiding legal problems in the future.
Your state may require that you file the documents with a specific office, or they can be submitted online or by mail. Regardless of how your state accepts the documents, you’ll need to pay the appropriate filing fee.
Bylaws
The bylaws for your Florida LLC are the rules that govern how your business is operated. They should include how disputes and arguments will be handled.
An LLC should also have a written operating agreement, which is not legally required in Florida but can help you resolve conflicts among members. Financial institutions, accountants and other professionals often ask for an operating agreement before opening a business bank account or offering loans.
Registered Agent:
A registered agent is someone or a company you can appoint to accept official mail and documents on behalf of your business. The agent must be located within the state of Florida and have a physical address (no PO Boxes).
Articles of Organization:
Once your LLC is established, you’ll need to file articles of organization with the state. These are filed online and will register your LLC with the Division of Corporations.
Registered Agent
When you want to activate your LLC in Florida, the first thing you need to do is find a registered agent. This is a person or company that will receive government and legal mail on behalf of your LLC.
You can either appoint yourself as your own registered agent or hire a service to do this for you. This is a very important part of the process because it allows you to keep your business address private and out of public records.
Another reason you should appoint your own registered agent is to ensure that you are meeting all of the state’s requirements. If you don’t, the state could administratively dissolve your LLC and you could end up with monetary penalties.
If you don’t have a registered agent, you may miss important state filings or notifications about lawsuits that have been filed against your LLC. These types of situations can have significant repercussions for your business.
Annual Report
If you want to activate your LLC in Florida, the first thing that you need to do is file an annual report. This is an important document that outlines the company’s activities throughout the previous year and contains the details of its directors and managers, capitalization, and shares.
Unlike corporations, LLCs pass their earnings through to the owners, who pay taxes on those profits at the individual level rather than the corporate level. This enables business owners to avoid the double taxation that is typical with corporations.
Aside from that, an annual report also reflects your company’s achievements over the past year and keeps shareholders up-to-date on your business’s financial performance.
The annual report should be easy to read and accessible to everyone. That means making it responsive and available in multiple formats. It also means incorporating data visualizations, including charts and maps, that showcase your organization’s success in the last year.