Compliance
Permits, licenses, and renewals for your business in Florida
Your company does not maintain itself: the Annual Report, the registered agent, and local licenses all have dates. We keep that calendar and warn you before a deadline, not after.
From $50
filings, 1099s, and advice
May 1
the Annual Report is due
All year
not just in season
What expires without anyone telling you
In Florida, keeping a company active does not depend on whether you are billing: it depends on filing what the state asks for, when it asks. The Annual Report is due May 1, and the state does not send a collector. If it slips, the penalty is $400 plus fees, and if the year closes without it your company is administratively dissolved.
Most of the owners who reach us with a dissolved company did not abandon it: they changed email, changed phone numbers, or the registered agent assigned when they formed the LLC stopped forwarding the notices. That is exactly the point of having an agent who answers and a physical office where the paper actually arrives.
And the Annual Report is only the state layer. On top of it sits the Hillsborough County Business Tax Receipt, your city’s if it applies, and whatever licenses your activity requires: construction, childcare, cosmetology, food service, transportation. Each with its own cycle. We build that calendar once and maintain it.
The Annual Report and the Business Tax Receipt are not the same thing
They are the two most confused documents, and meeting one does not release you from the other.
| Point of comparison | Annual Report (Sunbiz) | Business Tax Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| Who requires it | The state of Florida, Division of Corporations. | The county and, in some cases, the city as well. |
| What it does | Keeps your company active with current information. | Authorizes you to operate your activity in that jurisdiction. |
| When it is due | May 1 each year. | September 30 in Hillsborough; varies by city. |
| If you do not file | $400 penalty and administrative dissolution. | Local fines and risk of being shut down. |
| Depends on billing | No. Even if you do not operate, it must be filed. | No. It renews as long as the license is open. |
Some activities also need a state license (contractors, health, food, childcare). At the consultation we review what applies based on your activity code.
How the process works with us
Step 1
Audit of your company
We review your Sunbiz registration, your licenses, and your deadlines. We tell you what is fine, what has lapsed, and what is missing.
Free consultation
Step 2
Bringing you current
We file what is pending, reinstate the company if it was dissolved, and correct outdated information.
Depends on the backlog
Step 3
Calendar loaded
Every obligation gets its date in your virtual office, with an alert before the deadline.
Same day
Step 4
We file it for you
When the date arrives, we handle it and confirm with you. You only approve the expense.
All year
What we need to start
With this we review the real state of your company.
Your annual calendar
These are the dates we carry for you, with the alert before and not after.
- Annual Report with the state
- Before May 1
- County Business Tax Receipt
- Renewal by September 30
- City license
- Depending on your city
- Active registered agent
- All year
- State licenses for your activity
- Each on its own cycle
- Sales tax, if applicable
- Monthly or quarterly
“My company was dissolved and I did not know. They told me at the first review, reinstated it, and since then they warn me before every deadline.”
Testimonial published with the client’s consent. Results vary by case.
Frequently asked questions about permits and renewals in Florida
When is the Annual Report due in Florida and what is the penalty?+–
It is due May 1 each year. Filing late carries a $400 penalty plus state fees, and if the fiscal year closes without it, the company is administratively dissolved. Reinstating it costs more than filing on time would have.
My company shows as dissolved or inactive. Can it be recovered?+–
In most cases yes, through a reinstatement with the state: the pending reports are filed and the accumulated fees are paid. We check your case in Sunbiz and tell you the exact cost before starting.
What is a registered agent and why do I need one?+–
It is the person or company with a physical Florida address that receives your company’s legal notices: lawsuits, state notices, official correspondence. It is required. Reachers can be your registered agent and receive everything at our Brandon office, where you can pick it up.
Do I need a county license in addition to the state registration?+–
Almost always. The Sunbiz registration creates the company; the Business Tax Receipt authorizes you to operate your activity in the county and, depending on the case, in your city. They are separate filings with separate deadlines.
Which state licenses does my activity need?+–
It depends on the field. Construction, cosmetology, childcare, food service, transportation, and health each have their own state license, with requirements for exams, insurance, or experience. At the consultation we review your activity and give you the specific list.
Can you handle compliance if someone else registered my company?+–
Yes. You do not need to have opened the company with us. We run the audit, correct whatever is outdated, and take over the calendar from wherever it stands.
We keep companies compliant across the Tampa area
We file with the state of Florida from anywhere, and we meet clients in person at our Brandon office.
- Brandon
- Tampa
- Riverview
- Valrico
- Plant City
- Seffner
- Wesley Chapel
- Orlando
- Rest of the US remotely
Along with compliance
Let’s check whether your company is compliant
Fifteen minutes and you leave knowing what has lapsed, what is missing, and what it costs to bring it current.